Effective December 2, 2019, the fee for premium processing increased from $1,410 to $1,440. In related news, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has also proposed a new rule to increase premium processing adjudication times so that the USCIS would...
Topic: Immigration Updates
December 2019 Visa Bulletin – EB-1 Dates for Filing Current Except for China and India, Little Movement of Final Action Dates
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) published the Monthly Visa Bulletin for December 2019, which shows Dates for Filing as current for EB-1 except for India and China. Unfortunately, there is very little movement in the Final Action date across all backlogged green...
Miller Mayer’s Steve Yale-Loehr Quoted re New Asylum Restrictions
Miller Mayer immigration lawyer Steve Yale-Loehr was quoted by The Associated Press in “Tougher US asylum policy follows in Europe's footsteps.” Steve provided his perspective on new U.S. asylum restrictions, stating, "They essentially want you to bring a note from...
New Asylum Rule Makes It Easier to Deport Certain Central Americans
On November 19, 2019, the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security published a rule that limits the rights of certain asylum seekers. The rule, which takes effect immediately, allows U.S. officials to rapidly deport asylum applicants from El Salvador, Guatemala,...
Could Immigration Lawyers become Criminals?
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to consider the case of U.S. v. Sineneng-Smith involving an immigration consultant -- Evelyn Sineneng-Smith -- who told her undocumented clients they could stay in the United States under a program she knew had ended. She was...
Steve Yale-Loehr Quoted re Asylum, EB-5, DACA
Miller Mayer immigration attorney Steve Yale-Loehr was quoted by The Cornell Chronicle in “Aided by Cornell legal clinic, Ghana native rebuilding life in US.” Steve stated, “It’s a stacked deck against an asylum seeker, particularly if they don’t have an attorney to...
Congress Poised to Extend EB-5 and Other Programs until December 20
The U.S. government is presently operating under a temporary funding bill until November 21, 2019. Members of Congress recently announced that a deal had been reached to extend federal government funding for one month, to December 20. Several immigration provisions...
USCIS Proposes Substantial Fee Increases
On November 14, 2019, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a proposed rule to dramatically increase fees in a number of visa categories. The proposed rule also contains procedural changes to application and petition processing that go beyond...
Supreme Court Hears DACA Arguments
On November 12, 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court heard almost 90 minutes of oral argument on the fate of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The program, started in 2012, allows certain immigrants who entered the United States at an early age a...
Miller Mayer immigration attorney David Wilks spoke at the recent NAFSA Region X Conference
Miller Mayer immigration attorney David Wilks spoke on two panels at the recent NAFSA Region X Conference. Dave joined a panel on Tuesday October 29 to discuss the distinction between advising international students and providing legal advice. On Wednesday October 30...
