On December 2, 2021 the Biden Administration reinstated the “remain in Mexico” policy wherein migrants seeking to enter the US will have to remain in Mexico as they await immigration hearings. President Biden had originally stopped the policy, but lawsuits by Texas and Missouri forced him to put the policy back into effect, subject to […]
On December 8, 2021 USCIS announced that they would automatically extend the parole and employment authorization for parolees who timely applied for Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) long-term resident status. This extension applies specifically to current parolees who timely filed their Form I-955 and Form I-765 and whose applications remain pending on December […]
On December 3, 2021, The White House released the National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking, which focuses on four key US and global anti-trafficking efforts: prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnerships. The main goals of the action plan are: Building DHS capacity and bolstering partnerships with industry to prohibit forced labor in supply chains. […]
As of November 29, 2021, all applicants eligible for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) under one of the designated countries can file their Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status and Form I-765 Application for Employment Authorization online. Currently the countries with TPS designations are: Burma (Myanmar) El Salvador Haiti Honduras Nepal Nicaragua Somalia South Sudan […]
On October 29, Secretary of Homeland Security Mayorkas issued a memorandum wherein he terminates the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) program, also known as the “remain in Mexico” program. Secretary Mayorkas conducted an extensive review to assess whether MPP should be maintained, terminated, or modified. He studied court documents, relevant data, internal reviews, and publicly available […]
The Department of Homeland Security provided more details after announcing that starting November 8, 2021 non-citizen travelers who are fully vaccinated and have appropriate documents will be permitted to enter the U.S. Starting November 8, when arriving at a U.S. land POE or ferry terminal, non-citizen travelers should be prepared to (1) provide proof of […]
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a new memo that provides framework for when and where DHS law enforcement entities can conduct enforcement activities in sensitive locations. This memo applies both to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). It is effective immediately. DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas emphasizes that […]
Since the last evacuation in Afghanistan, over 68,000 Afghan allies are being housed on Department of Defense bases awaiting resettlement. On October 25, 2021 the State Department announced that they were partnering with Community Sponsorship Hub to launch the “Sponsor Circle Program.” This program allows groups of five Americans to join together to provide resettlement […]
On October 20, 2021 USCIS issued a policy alert wherein they gave updated guidance as to how T-visa applications should be adjudicated. It provides comprehensive guidance on eligibility requirements, evidentiary standards, burdens of proof, admissibility, and travel considerations. Specifically, USCIS: Clarifies that the age-based exemption to the requirement to comply with reasonable requests for assistance […]
As part of the credit card payment pilot program, USCIS has extended the program to the Vermont Service Center. Now petitioners filing Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker for O and P nonimmigrants can pay filing fees using this program. In order to pay by credit card, petitioners must file Form G-1450, Authorization for Credit […]
