By: Maureen Johnson* Recent polls and statements by political leaders including President Obama demonstrate a growing trend in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage. As of this writing, same-sex marriages are nationally recognized in 13 countries worldwide. Nine states and the District of Columbia allow gay marriage. Nevertheless, current laws in the majority of U.S. states […]
“The Justice Department announced today that it reached an agreement with Poulan Pecan, resolving allegations that the company violated the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Poulan Pecan is a supplier of pecans located in Poulan, Ga. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division initiated its investigation of Poulan Pecan in 2012, based […]
Starting March 8, 2013, the new I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification Form went into effect. We would like to remind all employers that earlier versions of the form are now invalid. As of the 8th of March, employers who fail to use the newly revised form are subject to all applicable penalties under section 274A of […]
MAR. 8 – The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), drafted by then Senator Joe Biden with Senator Orrin Hatch (R., Utah) passed last Thursday in Congress following a 2012 stalemate on reauthorization. Although focused on domestic violence, VAWA will likely spark further debates on same sex marriage and immigration reform. Three main provisions at issue […]
By: Maureen Johnson* As many BOILA clients know, I recently moved to Colombia, South America, in order to study Spanish. As an immigration attorney in the U.S., I have a great deal of experience with the U.S. immigration system. Moving abroad has given me the opportunity to gain insight into another country’s immigration processes and […]
By: Lusine Lisyanova* When one sees the words “witch burnings,” it is typically in a novel or a history book about the Dark Ages or 17th century Salem. In such settings, it is easy to imagine angry mobs gathered in the heart of town, burning a witch at the stake. However, the reality is that […]
The window for filing H-1B petitions for FY2014 will likely end quickly this year as increased demand and availability of the H-1B visa has left many employers in recent years scrambling. The filing date for FY2014 opens Aprils 1, 2013, and if demand is as high as last year’s (which reached capacity after only two […]
By: Margarita Baldwin* The memorandum of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals prevents deportations of illegal immigrants who were brought to the US as children. Many of them already obtained a 2-year work permit. However, will they be able to travel? Depending on what source they rely on, the answers vary, and it can be very […]
By: Margarita Baldwin* On November 1, 2012, the US Supreme Court heard the oral arguments in Roselva Chaidez v. United States, (USSC No. 11-820, cert granted 4/30/12) to determine whether the Padilla v. Kentucky, 130 S. Ct. 1473 (2010) should apply retroactively. Decided in 2010, Padilla established that a criminal defense attorney’s failure to advise […]
