Is this Obama's new plan on cracking down on employers, well that remains to be seen. The notices are the government's first step in what could be a lengthy investigation. Immigration agents plan to review the I-9 forms and identification documents at all 652 companies. Those with significant numbers of undocumented workers may be fined. And if agents believe the businesses knowingly hired illegal immigrants or find "a pattern of egregious violations," criminal investigations could be launched.
The message is clear, Employers who hire illegal workers are going to be on the hook as well, not just the illegal employees.
]]>President Obama said that while immigration is vital for America's future, illegal immigration cannot continue.
"The American people believe in immigration," he said. "But they also believe that we cannot tolerate a situation where people come to the United States in violation of the law."
At the Esperanza National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast and Conference, Mr. Obama said the millions of people who are in the U.S. illegally should have the chance to become citizens.
]]> "For those who wish to become citizens, we should require them to pay a penalty and pay taxes, learn English, go to the back of the line behind those who played by the rules. That is the fair, practical and promising way forward," he said.The president did not give a timetable for getting immigration reform legislation passed, but he said his administration has made progress in strengthening border security. He also said employers should not be allowed to exploit illegal immigrants to drive down wages.
Mr. Obama, the first African-American U.S. president, predicted that someday there will be a Hispanic president.
We will keep you posted on the Immigration Reforms.
]]>US President Barack Obama told a select bi-partisan group of Congressmen that such a system would be in place in the next 90 days, in which the USCIS will launch a vastly improved website.
This is likely to help thousands of Indian Americans every year who apply for permanent residency or Green Card, citizenship or approach USCIS for various immigration issues, but have to experience an agonizing wait.
We will keep you posted about further developments on Immigration reforms.
You should send in your application before leaving. Your reentry permit will serve as an entry document when you are ready to return. Reentry permits cannot be renewed and can be applied for only inside the United States. If you want to stay away for more than two years, you must return briefly and apply for another reentry permit.
The Nebraska Service Center (NSC) of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued an advisement in June 2009 regarding a change in procedures related to requests for rescheduling biometrics (fingerprinting) appointments for applications for reentry permits. The NSC has advised that all applications for reentry permits will be denied if the fingerprinting is not completed within 120 days of filing. The procedures for requesting expedited fingerprinting have not changed. I assume this is due to fact that many Green Card holders living abroad were trying to apply for the permit from overseas. In order to stp the practice, USCIS is trying to impose the strict biometrics schedule to make sure applicants apply form inside the US.
Applicants either have to appear at their scheduled appointments or request to be rescheduled. This request must occur before the appointment date. A request for rescheduling must be accompanied by a reasonable excuse for the inability to appear for the scheduled appointment. Rescheduled appointments are set within a maximum 30-day timeframe. Applicants should plan their travel accordingly, as the announcement is absolute with respect to the 30-day timeframe.
Here is a good tip to avoid one's green card being considered automatically abandoned under law, it is important to return within one year, at the latest.
]]>Employers thinking of hiring visa workers have more flexibility this year to interview and choose the best candidates as visas will be open for at least 2 more months.
]]>With lawmakers already plunged into lots of ongoing issues, administration officials and many in Congress say it is improbable that they will be able to add anything as challenging as an immigration overhaul. Moreover, there is lack of consensus among Republicans and Democrats and it seems they remain divided even within their own parties over how to fix it. Increase in unemployment rate too adds to its chaos as there are very less supporters available in Democrats, who are actually wavering on immigration reform. It is expected that the new appointed Chairman of the Senate Judiciary subcommittee on immigration, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. would take the point in pushing for passage of a new bill. Republicans are of the view that Obama administration needs to do a lot for such legislation.
]]> Mr. Schumer agreed in a speech yesterday at the Migration Policy Institute, that the key to assuaging opponents was to show that any new immigration legislation would not only legalize the status of illegal immigrants already in the country but also include tough measures to prevent new waves from entering. White House officials do not rule out the possibility of an immigration overhaul before midterm congressional campaigns are in full swing next year. Few officials, however, say passage of Immigration Legislation will more likely come in 2011, when Obama hopes to tap his broad support among Latino voters as he begins his run for re-election.We are of the opinion that the Obama administration has to take a serious but cautious approach towards such kind of issues as it affects millions of migrants residing in US too.
]]>So who can use the new procedure?
USCIS will accept Premium Processing requests for Form I-140 Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, involving EB-1 Aliens with Extraordinary Ability, EB-1 Outstanding Professors and Researchers, EB-2 Members of Professions with Advanced Degrees or Exceptional Ability not seeking a National Interest Waiver, EB-3 Professionals, EB-3 Skilled Workers, and EB-3 Workers other than Skilled Workers and Professionals.
Premium Processing Service is still not available for Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, involving EB-1 Multinational Executives and Managers and EB-2 Members of Professions with Advanced Degrees or Exceptional Ability seeking a National Interest Waiver.
As our regular blog followers know, for an additional fee of $1000, the USCIS will process the designated form within 15 calendar days of receipt. This is called Premium Processing. While a decision will not necessarily be issued in 15 days, a USCIS officer will review the application and determine the appropriate action. In many instances, this action could be an approval. The officer could issue any of the following, however: a request for further evidence (RFE), a denial, a Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID), or a notice of fraud investigation. If the notice requires an applicant to respond with additional evidence and/or legal argument, the USCIS is supposed to make a final decision within 15 days of receipt of the response.
Premium processing can be a valuable, strategic tool in connection with three-year H1B extensions and the current Visa Bulletin Backlog for certain countries. We welcome the change..
The students, ages 15, 16 and 17, reunited with their families in San Diego about 10 a.m. Wednesday. They are working on hiring an attorney and will face an immigration judge in the near future to present their cases for legal residency.
The teens were among 21 suspected illegal immigrants detained at the Old Town trolley stop May 20 in a joint operation led by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration and Border Patrol.
The students, who were on their way to school, admitted to being in the country illegally after being questioned by federal agents and were voluntarily returned to Mexico, said Daryl Reed, supervisory agent for the Border Patrol. He said they were sent to Mexico after officials failed to find proper legal guardians for the teenagers in the United States.
]]>The plan was derailed when conservative activists, who claimed the program would have constituted "amnesty" for illegal immigrants, managed to pick off enough Republicans in the House and Senate to forestall a vote. Gibbs said that the White House would make an effort, though, to win the votes for a reform plan, for which President Obama reiterated his support.
]]>Will keep on updating with further updates.
]]>As of this writing, both the Advanced Degree and Regular caps remain open. We will continue to provide updated H-1B cap count information.
The Court has invalidated USCIS’ bar against concurrent filings as an unreasonable
interpretation of the governing statute. Pursuant to an order dated June 11, 2009, USCIS is required to accept as properly filed adjustment of status applications (Form I-485) and employment authorization applications (Form I-765) from individuals who are beneficiaries of petitions for special immigrant visas (Form I-360), whether submitted concurrently with or subsequent to the visa petition, provided the applications meet USCIS’ valid filing requirements.
Bear in mind that this decision may be subject to Appeal, so things can still change. But for now this is a victory to the applicants filing under this category.
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