The House of Representatives passed the $1.75 trillion "Build Back Better Act" budget reconciliation bill, 220-213, on November 19, 2021. It includes $100 billion toward immigration measures, including provisions paving the way for employees and others waiting in...
Topic: Immigration Updates
Miller Mayer Memo: Build Back Better Act Passes in House; Senate Fate Uncertain
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the $1.75 trillion "Build Back Better" budget reconciliation bill, 220-213, on November 19, 2021. Although it doesn't include a direct path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants as some had hoped, it would provide for up...
New USCIS Lockbox Facility in Illinois, More Filing Location Changes Planned for 2022
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) plans to open a new lockbox facility in Elgin, Illinois, next year. The agency also has consolidated filing locations for certain employment-based forms to a single lockbox location. In 2022, USCIS plans more filing...
DHS Announces Fee Exemptions, Streamlined Processing for Afghan Nationals Resettling in the United States
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on November 8, 2021, that it will exempt filing fees and streamline application processing for Afghan nationals paroled into the United States for humanitarian reasons on or after July 30, 2021. DHS said these...
DHS Announces Countries Eligible for H-2A and H-2B Visa Programs
The Department of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Department of State, announced the countries whose nationals are eligible to participate in the H-2A (temporary agricultural) and H-2B (temporary nonagricultural) visa programs. The Secretary of Homeland...
Major Settlement Changes USCIS’ Work Authorization Policy for Certain H-4, E, and L Nonimmigrant Dependent Spouses
Following recent litigation, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on November 12, 2021, that certain H-4, E, or L dependent spouses will qualify for an automatic extension provided under 8 CFR § 274a.13(d) if certain conditions are met....
Miller Mayer’s Steve Yale-Loehr Honored as Top Immigration Attorney
Miller Mayer immigration attorney Steve Yale-Loehr was listed as a top 25 global migration attorney by Uglobal Immigration Magazine. For more information, see https://www.uglobal.com/en/immigration/posts/top-25-global-migration-attorneys/. Steve was also listed in...
Justice Dept. Settles With Construction Company to Resolve Immigration-Related Discrimination Claims
The Department of Justice (DOJ) reached a settlement agreement with Priority Construction Corporation, based in Baltimore, Maryland. The settlement resolves claims that Priority Construction violated the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality...
USCIS Expands Credit Card Payment Pilot Program to California Service Center
As part of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' (USCIS) credit card payment pilot program, the California Service Center is now accepting credit card payments using Form G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions, for petitioners filing Form I-129,...
Labor Dept. Responds to Stakeholder Requests to Raise H-2B Visa Cap for First Half of FY 2022
In response to stakeholder requests to raise the H-2B visa cap for the first half of fiscal year 2022, the Department of Labor (DOL) noted that it reached the congressionally mandated cap of 33,000 H-2B visas on September 30, 2021. DOL said it encourages employers...
