The Department of State (DOS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have announced a joint initiative, in response to the technical problems the U.S. Department of State’s Consular Consolidated Database (CCD)—responsible for the issuance of visas—has been experiencing. These technical problems have had a significant impact on the department’s…
Jose Antonio Vargas has quickly become the face that has humanized the struggle for immigration reform. Unlike other immigrants, Jose is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, Washington Post reporter, activist, and the founder of an immigration awareness campaign called ‘Define American’. Back in June of 2011, Vargas courageously revealed to…
It has been reported that this Wednesday, July 23, the State Department’s global database for issuing travel documents has crashed, resulting in major delays for potentially millions of people around the world waiting for U.S. passports and visas. Unspecified glitches in State Department’s Consular Consolidated Database have resulted in “significant…
By Ekaterina Powell, Esq. On July 11, 2014, USCIS released new guidance on adjudication of H-1B petitions for nursing occupations, which superseded the previous USCIS Memorandum of Johnny Williams, INS Office of Field Operations, Guidance on Adjudication of H-1B Petitions filed on Behalf of Nurses, HQISD 70/6.2.8-P (November 27, 2002).…
The rise in the number of unaccompanied children crossing into the United States illegally has dominated talks between lawmakers, pundits, political analysts, and humanitarian organizations, all of whom have a stake in bringing about comprehensive immigration reform. According to reports by the New York Times, since the month of October,…
USCIS recently announced new policy changes regarding Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record. Starting June 1, 2014, USCIS has limited the validity period for all Forms I-693 to one year from the date that USCIS receives the form. This updated policy applies to any Form I-693 supporting a benefit…
By Yingfei Zhou, Esq. Today, June 09, 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision that children who waited for years with their parents to obtain immigrant visas still have to go to the back of the line when they turn 21. BACKGROUND: The case, Mayorkas v Cuellar…
Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson On June 05, 2014 the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Jeh Johnson, announced the renewal process for enrollment in the program, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Effective immediately, USCIS will begin to accept renewal requests, as well as…
The Los Angeles Times recently released an article which discusses a new policy taken by the Obama Administration and Department of Homeland Security. The new policy aims at limiting deportations by making small, but significant changes to a program which started under the George W. Bush administration called Secure Communities.…
Aditya Agarwal, VP of Engineering at Dropbox and President and Founder of FWD. us Joe Green For decades, immigrants from all parts of the world have come to the United States, bringing with them their unsurpassed talents and ground breaking innovations. This entrepreneurial spirit was first fostered by our founding…