On December 1, 2020, Judge Jeffrey White of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California issued a decision in striking down two major rules affecting the H-1B nonimmigrant visa program that were issued by the Trump Administration in October 2020....
Year: 2020
Circuit Court Ruling Reinstates Public Charge Rule
On November 3, 2020, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals granted a stay (pause) of the district court’s November 2, 2020 order vacating the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s expanded “public charge” rule on a nationwide basis. This is the latest development in...
Trump Administration Issues New Rules for H-1B and Other Work Visas Ahead of Election
With less than one month remaining until the general election, the Trump Administration has issued two new rules that will change the eligibility requirements for H-1B non-immigrant visas and raise the minimum wage requirements for foreign workers. However, because...
COVID-19: USCIS Extends Deadline Flexibility for Responding to Agency Requests
In response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is extending the deadline flexibilities it announced on March 30, 2020, to assist applicants, petitioners, and requestors who are responding to certain: Requests for...
Judge Blocks Attempt to Undo President’s Temporary Suspension of New H-1B Work Visas; Govt Proposes New Hurdles
A Washington District Judge has blocked a request for a preliminary injunction aimed at cancelling the Presidential Proclamation that has temporarily suspended the issue of any new H-1B work visas, plus L-1 and other temporary non-immigrant work permits for most...
Federal Judge Blocks Trump Administration from Applying “Public Charge” Rule During COVID-19 National Emergency
July 29, 2020, Judge George B. Daniels of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York issued two nationwide injunctions (orders) temporarily blocking the Trump Administration from applying its “public charge” rules due to the ongoing COVID-19...
USCIS Prepares to Reopen Individual Offices on June 4, 2020 with New Procedures
On Wednesday, May 27, 2020, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) announced new details in the agency’s plan to reopen individual offices to the public starting on June 4, 2020. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, in-person services at USCIS...
USCIS Predicts Budget Shortfall and Filing Fee Surcharge
On Friday, May 15, 2020, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) reportedly requested $1.2 billion in emergency funding from Congress because it lacks the budget to continue operations through the summer. USCIS stated that because of the...
May 11, 2020 Updates
Military personnel and Veterans Can Now File Form N-400 Online, Naturalization Application reported by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service. Legal permanent residents of the Armed Forces and veterans can apply for U.S. citizenship (submit form N-400) online,...
USCIS Extends Suspension of In-person Services Until at Least June 3, 2020
Today, April 24, 2020, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that is again extending its temporary suspension of in-person services at USCIS offices (including USCIS field offices, asylum offices, and Application Support Centers) in...