In what may be a sign of the times, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has revised its mission statement to remove the term "nation of immigrants," among other changes. USCIS Director Francis Cissna announced the new mission statement on February 22,...
Topic: Immigration Updates
State Dept. Discusses Visa Availability in the Coming Months
The Department of State's Visa Bulletin for March 2018 discusses visa availability in the coming months in several categories. Special Immigrant Translator category. Given the limited availability of visa numbers and the existing demand, the Department said it expects...
USCIS Expands Credit Card Payment Option for Fees
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it will now accept credit card payments for filing most of its forms. The new payment option is available for the 41 fee-based forms processed at USCIS Lockbox facilities. To pay by Visa, MasterCard,...
USCIS Clarifies Policy on Requirements for Third-Party Worksite H-1B Petitions
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has published a policy memorandum clarifying that USCIS may request detailed documentation to ensure that a legitimate employer-employee relationship is maintained while an employee is working at a third-party...
Supreme Court Says Certain Aliens May Be Held in Indefinite Detention, Remands Case to Ninth Circuit
On February 27, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court remanded a case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit that challenges the government's authority to hold an alien in detention indefinitely without a bond hearing. The Court said that certain aliens may be held...
Supreme Court Declines Trump Administration Appeal in DACA Case
On February 26, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked the Trump administration's attempt to bypass the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and let stand without comment a ruling by a federal judge in California on January 9, 2018, to end Deferred Action for...
Webinar: How to Navigate the H-1B Lottery and Other Employment Visa Options
When: Thursday, February 22, 2-3 pm ET Featuring Miller Mayer’s globally recognized immigration law practice featuring our attorneys who have counseled businesses for more than 25 years on business immigration, this webinar provided an update concerning the ongoing...
The Entrepreneur Parole Program: Is It Working?
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently started accepting applications for parole under the International Entrepreneur Rule (IER). This grant of parole is commonly referred to as “entrepreneur parole.” The IER has a long and complicated history....
USCIS, DOS Tighten Screening Procedures for Refugees and Family Members
On February 1, 2018, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Department of State implemented new procedures "to ensure that all individuals admitted as refugees receive similar, thorough vetting—whether they are principal refugees, accompanying...
USCIS to Process Recently Filed Asylum Applications Over Older Ones
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced recently that the agency will schedule asylum interviews for recent applications ahead of older filings, in an attempt to stem the growth of the agency's asylum backlog. The agency said it faces a...
