Keeping you informed on the latest immigration news.
USCIS Announces Trial for Naturalization Test Updates
The Department of Homeland Security announced that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) intends to conduct a trial for updates to the current naturalization test. The trial is tentatively scheduled for a five-month period in 2023. The purpose of the...
Guangzhou Immigrant Visa Unit Closes Until Further Notice; Limited Services Announced at Other U.S. Embassies and Consulates in China
The Immigrant Visa Unit of the U.S. consulate in Guangzhou, China, announced that beginning December 19, 2022, it will be closed for regular visa services until further notice due to limited resources. The unit will notify the public once it is able to resume normal...
OFLC Publishes New 2023 H-2A Hourly Adverse Effect Wage Rates for Non-Range Occupations and for Herding or Production of Livestock on the Range
In two notices, the Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration (ETA) announced the new Adverse Effect Wage Rates (AEWRs) under the H-2A program for (1) agricultural labor or services other than the herding or production of livestock on the range, and...
DHS Issues Update on Southwest Border Security and Preparedness Under Court-Ordered Lifting of ‘Title 42’; Termination of ‘Remain in Mexico’ Program Paused
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued an update on December 13, 2022, on southwest border security and preparedness in anticipation of a court-ordered lifting of Title 42 by December 21, 2022, which was upheld by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals in a...
USCIS Increases H-2B Nonimmigrant Visa Availability
In a temporary final rule published on December 15, 2022, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of Labor, has increased the total number of noncitizens who may receive an H-2B nonimmigrant visa by up to 64,716 for fiscal year (FY)...
Miller Mayer’s Steve Yale-Loehr Quoted re Title 42 Controversy
Miller Mayer immigration attorney Steve Yale-Loehr was quoted by the New York Times in "Government Appeals Border Ruling, But Says It's Ready to End Expulsions." The article discusses the Biden administration's appeal of a court order directing it to repeal a...
DOL Publishes More FAQs on 2022 H-2A Final Rule
On December 7, 2022, the Department of Labor's Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) issued its third round of frequently asked questions related to the 2022 H-2A final rule published in October, "Temporary Agricultural Employment of H-2A Nonimmigrants in the...
DHS Extends and Redesignates TPS for Haiti for 18 Months
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the extension of temporary protected status (TPS) for Haiti for an additional 18 months, from February 4, 2023, through August 3, 2024. DHS also redesignated Haiti for TPS, allowing Haitian nationals residing in the...
Registration Process Begins for Ethiopia TPS; DHS Provides Relief for F-1 Nonimmigrant Ethiopian Students
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced several measures to provide relief for Ethiopians in the United States: Registration Process for Ethiopia TPS Begins In October, DHS announced the 18-month designation of Ethiopia for temporary protected status...
Green Cards Automatically Extended for Naturalization Applicants Who File on 12/12/22 or Later, USCIS Says
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said it is automatically extending the validity of Permanent Resident Cards (green cards) for lawful permanent residents (LPRs) who applied for naturalization on December 12, 2022, or later. USCIS will update the...
