Benefits & Relief
District Court in Texas Allows CHNV Parole Program to Continue
On March 8, a federal district court in Texas dismissed a challenge to a parole program set up by the Biden administration to allow 30,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans to enter the United States legally each month, known as the CHNV parole program, allowing the program to stay in… Read More
USCIS Announces Re-parole for Ukrainians
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022, the U.S. has provided certain Ukrainians with temporary authorization, or parole, to remain in the country. However, multiple agencies, including Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), have been involved in this process,… Read More
USCIS Finalizes Increase in Fees for Immigration-Related Applications
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) finalized its long-awaited fee rule on January 31, which impacts the filing costs for almost all the agency’s applications. The new fees will take effect April 1, 2024. The agency’s fee increases significantly impact the cost for family-based and employment-based applications and petitions. Read More
State Department Extends Nonimmigrant Visa Interview Waivers Indefinitely
The State Department announced an update to its discretionary interview waiver policy for nonimmigrant visa applicants on December 21, 2023. It replaces the temporary policies in place for almost three years. Most importantly, the State Department made this a standing policy that will be reviewed annually, which will decrease… Read More
DHS’ New Work Permit Measures Are Welcome Change with Potential to Address USCIS Challenges
On September 20, 2023, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced measures to accelerate the processing of some work permits and to extend their validity period for particular categories of individuals. These changes are substantial and are likely to have a meaningful impact… Read More
USCIS Updates Key CSPA Interpretation to Protect Some Immigrant Youth, But Backlogs Continue to Cause Hardships
On August 24, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a new update to its policy manual clarifying a previous policy change aimed at expanding green card eligibility under the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) for children who lost eligibility, or “aged out,” due to the years-long visa… Read More
With Challenge to CHNV Parole Program, the ‘Right to Welcome’ Goes on Trial in Texas
The Biden administration’s humanitarian parole program for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans (CHNV) went on trial last week. The trial, held in a federal court in Texas, was the result of a lawsuit filed in January 2023 (shortly after the program was expanded to Cuba, Haiti, and Nicaragua) by Texas… Read More
Biden’s Family Reunification Parole Programs Offer Hope—But With a Blind Spot
When the Biden administration launched new Family Reunification Parole programs earlier this year, it pointed to existing programs for Cuban and Haitian families as the model. The new programs would allow some people from Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras stuck in the immigrant visa backlog to join their family… Read More
The Afghan Adjustment Act of 2023: Everything You Need to Know
Bipartisan groups of lawmakers in both the House of Representatives and the Senate reintroduced the Afghan Adjustment Act (AAA) last week. The bill, similar to a version introduced in the last Congress, would fix a problem that will only get more urgent: tens of thousands of Afghans who were… Read More
Biden Administration Will Allow More Families Stuck in Visa Backlog to Reunite in US
The Biden administration has started a program to allow some Central and South Americans who are stuck in the family visa backlog to come to the United States and reunite with their relatives while they wait for their immigrant visas to become available. But while the new programs could help… Read More
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