Keeping you informed on the latest immigration news.
DHS Withdraws Affidavit of Support Proposed Rule
On March 19, 2021, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the withdrawal of a proposed rule, "Affidavit of Support on Behalf of Immigrants," published on October 2, 2020. The agency said that by withdrawing the rule, "DHS aims to reduce barriers and...
House Passes ‘Dreamer’ and Farmworker Bills; Senate Passage Uncertain
On March 18, 2021, two immigration-related bills passed in the House of Representatives with bipartisan support. The bills are briefly summarized below: The American Dream and Promise Act (H.R. 6) passed the House 228-197, with 9 Republicans joining Democrats in...
Free Webinar This Friday About Immigration Polarization
Miller Mayer immigration attorney Steve Yale-Loehr will present a webinar on how to overcome immigration polarization this Friday, March 19, 2021, at 4:30 pm ET. Steve will discuss how issues of immigration have fractured along party lines and how that trend can be...
Miller Mayer’s Steve Yale-Loehr Quoted re Supreme Court Immigration Docket
Miller Mayer immigration attorney Steve Yale-Loehr was quoted by USA Today in "Immigration was a Scorching Topic at the Supreme Court Last Year. With Trump Gone, That's Changed." The article notes that "[p]ending immigration cases stemming from the Obama...
State Dept. Launches Monthly Live “Chats with Charlie” re Visa Bulletin
The Department of State's Visa Bulletin for April 2021 announces the launch of live monthly "Chats with Charlie." @TravelGov will begin hosting "Chats with Charlie" on its YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/user/TravelGov) to discuss information provided in the...
DHS Designates Venezuela, Burma for TPS for 18 Months
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has designated Venezuela and Burma for temporary protected status (TPS) for 18 months. Venezuela TPS Venezuela has been designated for TPS until September 2022. The 180-day registration period for eligible individuals to...
Lawsuit Challenges USCIS Rejections of H-1B Petitions Filed After October 1
The American Immigration Council (AIC) sued on March 11, 2021, in federal court on behalf of seven U.S. employers whose H-1B petitions were rejected. The lawsuit challenges U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' (USCIS) "arbitrary and capricious refusal to accept...
DHS Delays H-1B Lottery Rule Prioritizing Wages Until May 14
On March 12, 2021, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) delayed the effective date of its final rule prioritizing wages in adjudicating H-1B applications until May 14, 2021. DHS said the 60-day delay would allow the agency to "review any questions of fact, law,...
USCIS May Reopen H-1B Petitions Denied Under Three Rescinded Policy Memos
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on March 12, 2021, that it may reopen and/or reconsider adverse H-1B decisions on Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, that were made based on three rescinded policy memoranda. USCIS said it "will...
State Dept. Extends Expansion of Interview Waiver Eligibility
The Department of State, in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security, extended until December 31, 2021, a temporary expansion of the ability of consular officers to waive the in-person interview requirement for individuals applying for a nonimmigrant visa...
