The U.S. State Department’s “Catch and Revoke” program uses artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor foreign nationals, particularly student visa holders. The program aims to identify individuals who express support for Hamas,...more
USCIS issued a grace period on March 8, 2025, for the dozen updated immigration forms it released in February and March 2025 and made effective immediately. These forms include the N-400 for naturalization, I-485 for...more
Announced in a Federal Register notice published Feb. 5, 2025, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem decided not to extend the 2023 Venezuela Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation. That designation will expire April 7, 2025....more
2/12/2025
/ Compliance ,
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) ,
Employment Policies ,
Federal Register ,
Foreign Workers ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
Popular ,
Temporary Protected Status ,
USCIS ,
Venezuela ,
Visas
Announced in a Federal Register notice published Feb. 5, 2025, Secretary Kristi Noem decided not to extend the 2023 Venezuela TPS designation. That designation will expire April 7, 2025. DHS Secretary Noem announced on Jan....more
2/6/2025
/ Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Employees ,
Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) ,
Foreign Workers ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
Non-Immigrant Visas ,
Temporary Protected Status ,
USCIS ,
Venezuela ,
Visas
As many expected, President Donald Trump has not only issued Executive Orders (EOs), but he has also rescinded many EOs issued by the Biden Administration concerning immigration, including the following: “The Restoring Faith...more
1/24/2025
/ Biden Administration ,
Compliance ,
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Donald Trump ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Litigation ,
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Enforcement ,
Executive Orders ,
Foreign Workers ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Rescission ,
Trump Administration ,
USCIS ,
Visas
President Joe Biden is extending Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for 24 months through Feb. 5, 2027, for any Hong Kong resident (regardless of country of birth) currently living in the United States....more
1/16/2025
/ Biden Administration ,
Compliance ,
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Departure Orders ,
F-1 Visa ,
Foreign Nationals ,
Foreign Relations ,
Foreign Workers ,
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Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
USCIS ,
Visas
Some colleges and universities, out of an abundance of caution, are advising their foreign national students and staff who are traveling abroad for winter break to consider returning before President Donald Trump’s...more
The Department of Homeland Security has released an additional 64,716 H-2B temporary visas for non-agricultural workers. The additional visas will help employers in hospitality, tourism, landscaping, construction, seafood...more
Qatar will join the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). It will be the 42nd member of the VWP and the first Gulf country to qualify. The VWP allows citizens or nationals of participating countries to travel to the United States for...more
The Department of Labor (DOL) announced its H-2A Transition Plan for updating its Foreign Labor Application Gateway (FLAG) system based on the preliminary injunction (known as the Kansas Order) issued by the U.S. District...more
President Joe Biden announced protections for undocumented foreign national spouses of U.S. citizens who have lived in the United States for 10 years without a legal immigration status. This will protect approximately 500,000...more
Many USCIS filing fees are being adjusted upward beginning on April 1, 2024. That date, of course, is particularly significant. It is the earliest date that Cap H-1Bs can be filed.
The H-1B filing fee, for example, will rise...more
On October 30, 2023, President Joe Biden issued an Executive Order regarding the “Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence.” The Executive Order (EO) directs departments and agencies...more
11/10/2023
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Executive Orders ,
H-1B ,
Immigration Procedures ,
J-1 Visas ,
Joe Biden ,
National Security ,
Non-Citizens ,
STEM ,
US State Departments ,
Visas
USCIS has published a proposed rule that, once implemented, would significantly reform and modernize the H-1B Program. The Modernizing H-1B Requirements, Providing Flexibility in the F-1 Program, and Program Improvements...more
Beginning on October 19, 2023, eligible Israeli citizens and nationals can apply for visa-free travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA)....more
On September 27, 2023, Secretary of State, Antony Blinken and Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas announced that Israel will join the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Pursuant to the designation, beginning on...more
USCIS has proposed raising its filing fees – and the burden of those increased fees will fall primarily on employers large and small. For example, the filing fee for an H-1B visa would be raised by 70% from $460 to $780....more
The H-1B cap season for Fiscal Year 2024 is fast approaching. USCIS announced on January 27th that cap registration begins on March 1st. Employers should assess their hiring needs and determine if they will sponsor foreign...more
Due to long processing delays, USCIS is extending the validity of green cards for 24 months for legal permanent residents who have filed a Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Residence Card. USCIS is doing this in...more
For H-1B visas, employers have been hoping there will be another round of selections for FY 2023, but that is not on the horizon.
USCIS has been sending non-selection notices to registrants’ online accounts. USCIS can...more
For more than two years, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been allowing employers with remote workers to review Form I-9 Employment Verification Authorization documents virtually...more
As of May 4, 2022, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is increasing the automatic extension of work authorization from 180 days to 540 days for certain individuals. ...more
Just as the Biden Administration is proposing increased funding for USCIS to help reduce the agency’s backlog, USCIS is announcing future new actions to improve processing times....more
USCIS has announced that H-1B Cap registration will start on March 1, 2022, at noon (Eastern) and will continue through noon (Eastern) on March 18, 2022.
If enough registrations to fill the cap are received by March 18...more
Nonimmigrant spouses of H-1B and L-1 visa holders with long-pending EAD applications have finally received some relief. Based upon a settlement in Shergill v. Mayokas, USCIS is making major policy changes. Going forward,...more