Recent Blog Posts
Trump’s Stance on Deportation of Young Immigrants Shifts
With the election of any new president, policies regarding immigration are particularly vulnerable to shift and change. This election in particular has left many open questions about what will happen to the numerous immigration programs and policies which were enacted through President Obama’s executive action, and whether President-elect Trump will maintain the hard-line stance… Read More »
Trump’s Deportation Priority List
One of the most prominent and oft-discussed aspects of President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign for the presidency was his hardline stance on illegal immigration. His proposal to build a wall stretching along the U.S./Mexico border, to be funded by the Mexican government, was a frequent talking point. Trump also described his intention when president to… Read More »
Deportations of Thousands of Central American Immigrants Delayed
In a move receiving no publicity from the Obama administration itself, tens of thousands of undocumented Central American immigrants have been granted permission to remain in the United States for several more years. Administration officials cite budgetary concerns as the reason for the delays. For several years, the Obama administration had declared its intention… Read More »
Supreme Court to Decide Whether Immigrants Are Subject to Indefinite Detention
The fall term for the US Supreme Court is about to begin, during which they’ll hear an important case regarding whether immigrants can be detained indefinitely while awaiting their deportation, or if they have a right to release on bail. The case, titled Jennings v. Rodriguez, was filed on behalf of over 1,000 immigrants… Read More »
USCIS Introduces New Rule on Unlawful Presence Waivers
US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has recently announced an expansion of the 2013 rule allowing immediate family members of US citizens to avoid being denied a visa based on a period of unlawful presence in the US. The rule is scheduled to enter into effect on August 29, 2016. Normally, when a foreign… Read More »
Naturalize NY Program Encourages New Yorkers to Become U.S. Citizens
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has recently launched a new initiative intended to ease the path to citizenship for certain New York residents to become citizens of the United States. The “NaturalizeNY” program will offer assistance with application fees for 2,000 eligible individuals. The NaturalizeNY program is a collaboration between several state offices, New… Read More »
I-601A Provisional Waiver program expanded by DHS
Effective 8/29/2016 DHS has expanded the I-601A provisional waiver program. The Department of Homeland Security has announced that effective August 29, 2016 they are expanding the class of aliens eligible to apply for I-601A Provisional Waivers. Now anyone eligible to obtain an immigrant visa such as the spouse of a permanent resident, sibling… Read More »
U.S. Supreme Court Set to Rule on DAPA
After months of waiting on a decision, the U.S. Supreme Court is set to issue its ruling this week in the case titled U.S. v. Texas, the case addressing the executive orders issued by President Obama that have shielded thousands of undocumented immigrants from deportation. Specifically, the opinion will address the President’s proposed expansion… Read More »
Couple Facing Federal Charges for Visa Fraud Reaching $20 Million
A couple who devised a scheme to fraudulently obtain H-1B visas for hundreds of Indian nationals has been indicted on federal charges. Raju Kosuri and Smriti Jharia, residents of Ashburn, Virginia, will be facing charges that could result in up to a 30-year prison sentence. Kosuri and Jharia had been running the scheme since… Read More »
H-1B Visa Filing Period Opens and Closes, Receiving Record Number of Petitions
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that the filing period for H-1B visa applications for fiscal year 2017, which opened on April 1, was closed as of April 7, 2016. The random lottery to select which among the applications will be processed this year was held on April 9. The… Read More »