President Donald Trump has made restricting legal immigration and imposing harsher penalties on immigrants hallmarks of his administration. Do any of the 24 presidential candidates—23 Democrats and one Republican—looking to challenge Trump next year have an immigration plan? A handful of Democratic hopefuls have release detailed immigration reform platforms. Other candidates have announced more general…
DetailsLate last year, founding partner Sophie Alcorn wrote about the dramatic rise processing times for some forms by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Since then, the processing times have improved for many visa and green card categories. However, processing times for many employment-based and family-based green cards continue to steadily increase. USCIS takes 10…
DetailsThe chief of the Department of State’s Visa Control and Reporting Division provided an estimate of the final action dates over the next several months and the estimated wait times for an EB-5 green card. Late last year, founding partner Sophie Alcorn wrote about Charles Oppenheim’s October 2018 predictions and offered alternatives to the EB-5…
DetailsFor immigrants, establishing a strong credit score may prove necessary for more than just qualifying for a mortgage or auto loan. Last year, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposed using a credit score to determine whether an immigrant is “self-sufficient” and admissible. The Alcorn Immigration Law team only practices U.S. immigration law. Much of…
DetailsPresident Trump announced a new immigration plan last week that seeks to increase high-skilled immigration, overhaul and limit asylum and the diversity visa (green card “lottery”) programs, and restrict family-based immigration. “This could create new immigration pathways for entrepreneurs, Silicon Valley tech companies, and professionals who need greater access to movement to have the freedom…
DetailsPresident Trump issued a memorandum aimed at placing new immigration restrictions on individuals who hold nonimmigrant (temporary stay) visas. The “Presidential Memorandum on Combating High Nonimmigrant Overstay Rates” orders the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security to immediately take “all appropriate actions that are within the scope of their respective authorities to…
DetailsU.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently clarified that violating the federal controlled substance law, including violations involving marijuana, will make it difficult to establish a good moral character for the naturalization process. Marijuana can create other immigration difficulties as well. Founding partner Sophie Alcorn wrote about cannabis and immigration law last year. Even if…
DetailsAfter a seven-year wait, Israel citizens became eligible to apply for an E-2 visa at the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv as of May 1. Both the E-1 Visa for Treaty Traders and the E-2 Visa for Treaty Investors are only available to citizens of countries with treaties of trade and commerce with the U.S.…
DetailsFounding partner Sophie Alcorn recently spoke about the current state of U.S. immigration—and the Mercury News published a story on what she had to say. At a program hosted by the Global Business Council of the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors, Sophie explained how immigration policies and procedures have impacted individuals and companies in Silicon…
DetailsEliminating work permits for H-4 visa holders would result in an annual loss of $1.9 billion in federal tax revenue and $530 million in state and local tax revenue, according to a recent study. Researchers Ike Brannon, a senior fellow at the Jack Kemp Foundation, and M. Kevin McGee, Professor Emeritus at the University of…
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