April 1, 2014 is the first day on which U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) may receive H-1B specialty worker petitions for the next fiscal year that begins on October 1, 2014. To qualify for the H-1B category, the position offered must be a specialty in which a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent is normally […]
On November 4, 2013 the Honorable Judge Jones with the U.S. District Court, in Seattle, Washington approved a class action settlement agreement. This agreement arose out of nationwide class action filed by the Legal Action Center (LAC) of the American Immigration Council, Northwest Immigration Rights Project (NWIRP), Gibbs Houston Pauw and the Massachusetts Law Reform […]
By Danielle Beach-Oswald Due to a violation of human rights in 2008, a female immigrant has received a settlement of $490,000. After being detained, Ms. Villegas’ hands and feet were shackled to her hospital bed while giving birth. Six days prior to her hospitalization, a state police officer realized Villegas was illegally residing in the […]
By Danielle Beach-Oswald As most of us involved in the immigration field are aptly aware, the new immigration reform bill was recently approved by the Senate and on October 2nd, and the bill was finally introduced in the House of Representatives. If passed, the immigration reform bill will make a climatic and transformative impact on […]
By Danielle Beach-Oswald On November 20, 2013, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued a News Release announcing proposed changes to international student programs. According to ICE’s website, “ICE is proposing changes to the requirements governing its Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) that are intended to improve management of international student programs and increase […]
By Danielle Beach-Oswald Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is an available form of temporary, humanitarian relief for those who are in the United States from countries that the currently facing ongoing armed conflict or an environmental emergency. According to USCIS, “The Secretary of Homeland Security may designate a foreign country for TPS due to conditions in […]
“The Obama administration issued a new policy on Friday that will allow immigrants in the United States illegally who are close relatives of active military troops and veterans to stay and move toward becoming permanent residents. The long-awaited memorandum, coming after three years of deliberations by Department of Homeland Security officials, was an effort to […]
With the enactment of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIRA), Congress introduced a permanent bar to visas, lawful permanent resident status, and naturalization for all noncitizens who make false claims to U.S. citizenship for the purposes of receiving immigration benefits. In the years since its enactment, the academic and legal […]
H.R. 15 October 24, 2013 Immigration reform is one of the most prominent discussions throughout the United States. Advocates are calling for a comprehensive plan that lays out a viable pathway towards citizenship for the roughly 11 million undocumented individuals that currently reside in the United States. One of the central issues for policy makers […]
By MICHAEL D. SHEAR, New York Times Published: October 24, 2013 WASHINGTON — President Obama on Thursday renewed his call for an immigration overhaul, telling an audience of activists at the White House that the fate of a bipartisan Senate bill now rests with Republicans in the House. “Anyone still standing in the way of this […]
