By Stephen Yale-Loehr* On July 16, 2021, Texas federal district Judge Andrew Hanen ruled that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) violated the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) when it created the deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA) program in 2012....
Topic: Immigration Updates
Upcoming USCIS Webinars on Temporary Protected Status
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will hold a webinar on Temporary Protected Status (TPS) on Wednesday, August 25, 2021, from 2 to 3 pm ET. The agency will provide a general overview of TPS, including an explanation of eligibility requirements; online...
President Biden Appoints Tracey Jacobson to Lead Afghan Special Immigrant Evacuation Effort
President Joe Biden announced on August 14, 2021, that he has placed Ambassador Tracey Jacobson in charge of a "whole-of-government effort to process, transport, and relocate Afghan Special Immigrant Visa [SIV] applicants and other Afghan allies." He said the United...
USCIS Rescinds Guidance on Discretionary Work Authorization for Parolees
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) rescinded policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual on discretionary employment authorization for noncitizens paroled into the United States. The guidance was issued in 2019 in response to a presidential proclamation...
USCIS Temporarily Extends Validity Period of Medical Exam and Vaccination Record Form
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) temporarily extended the validity period for Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, from two years to four years due to COVID-19 pandemic-related delays in processing. USCIS said it may...
Visa Bulletin for September 2021 Released
The Department of State's Visa Office released the Visa Bulletin for September 2021. The bulletin notes, among other things, that: The diversity visa (DV) category for September shows that all DV chargeability areas except those listed separately are Current. Because...
USCIS Expands Partnership With Social Security Administration
Applicants filing for lawful permanent resident status can now apply for a Social Security number (SSN) or replacement card as part of the adjustment of status application process, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced. Previously, such an...
New USCIS Director Appointed: Ur M. Jaddou
Ur M. Jaddou was appointed on August 3, 2021, as the new director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Ms. Jaddou previously served as chief counsel at USCIS from June 2014 to January 2017. More recently, Ms. Jaddou directed DHS Watch, an America's...
New Refugee Resettlement Program Announced for Certain Afghans Not Eligible for Special Immigrant Visas
At a press conference on August 2, 2021, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced a new resettlement program for Afghans who assisted the United States but who do not qualify for special immigrant visas. The Department of State has created a "Priority-2" (P-2)...
U.S. to Defer Removal of Certain Hong Kong Residents in United States
On August 5, 2021, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas announced Deferred Enforced Departure would be provided to eligible Hong Kong residents in the United States. President Biden issued a memorandum directing the Department of Homeland Security to...
