Nine nonprofits from across the country filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) seeking an explanation for the skyrocketing naturalization backlog. The FOIA request asks for information and documents to assess the agency’s costs, budget allocations, policies and practices related to processing N-400 naturalization applications. The group…
DetailsThe Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and the Department of Labor have joined forces to step up scrutiny of employers who sponsor or hire foreign nationals. More than ever, employers must make sure they are and remain in compliance with immigration laws and regulations, from sponsoring employees for visas to maintaining and reviewing records…
DetailsUnder a new policy, if U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) denies a visa, an extension, or another immigration benefit, the agency will immediately begin deportation proceedings against the foreign national. That means doing it yourself now carries a higher risk of deportation. USCIS, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP)…
DetailsWe recently held office hours at Draper University to answer immigration questions from the current batch of students in the summer startup training program. Thanks to one of our clients—a graduate of the program—Draper staff invited me and my colleagues, Jeff Huang and Gabby Phillips, to talk to interested students about their options. When we…
DetailsWhen Amelia and Oliver* left their native Australia nearly two years ago, the married couple was excited about embarking on their next life adventure in the U.S. Oliver, an algorithmic programmer, accepted a new job in Silicon Valley. Amelia, a university-trained artist, thought life in a new country would inspire her work. And it did…
DetailsAn E-2 investor visa offers a relatively quick option for foreign investors to come to the U.S. to live and work by starting a company. It enables foreign nationals whose home country has an investment treaty with the U.S. to live and work here if investing capital and creating jobs. The problem is that many…
DetailsA company recently retained the Alcorn Immigration Law team after it received notice that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would audit it for compliance with federal employment-verification laws. We worked with the company’s human resources personnel to collect and organize all the requested documents: Form I-9s for all current and some past employees. An…
DetailsThis is another in a continuing series of posts that describe some of the Alcorn Immigration Law team’s client success stories.* To maintain confidentiality, the name of the client has been changed, and details may have been omitted or slightly altered. Vahar and Rahmi originally came to the U.S. from Pakistan with their children on…
DetailsIf you are eligible to file for an adjustment of status for a green card under an EB-1 petition, do it by July 31. On August 1, all foreign nationals will no longer immediately receive an EB-1 green card when they or their employers apply for permanent residency, according to the latest Visa Bulletin. This…
DetailsThe Trump administration announced last fall its intention to eliminate work permits for some spouses of H-1B visa holders. Since then, these spouses, who hold H-4 visas, and their families have lived under the threat that their careers and second income will end. Since 2015, the spouses of H-1B specialty occupation visa holders who are waiting…
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