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somalia-1758976_1280In this post, we share with you some great news for Somalian nationals under Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in the United States.

The Biden administration has made the decision to extend Temporary Protected Status for Somalian nationals currently receiving protections under the program for 18 months from September 18, 2024 through March 17, 2026.

A notice has been published in the Federal Register with information about how to register for TPS under Somalia’s designation.

The main benefit of applying for TPS protections is that those who are approved can remain in the country on a lawful basis, will receive protection against deportation (deferred status), and are eligible to apply for employment authorization and travel permission by filing, Form I-765 Application for Employment Authorization, and Form I-131 Application for Travel Document, with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Current TPS beneficiaries who wish to extend their status through March 17, 2026, must re-register during the 60-day re-registration period from July 22, 2024, through September 20, 2024, to ensure they keep their TPS and employment authorization.

Extension of Somalia’s Designation for TPS

On July 19, 2024, the Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, announced an 18-month extension and re-designation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for the country of Somalia. This extension and re-designation will be in effect from September 18, 2024, through March 17, 2026 (an 18-month period).

Secretary Mayorkas made this decision after consulting with government officials and taking into consideration the ongoing armed conflict in Somalia, along with natural disasters, disease outbreaks, and worsening humanitarian crisis. Somalia continues to be impacted by terrorism, violent crime, civil unrest, and fighting amongst clan militias making it necessary to extend the designation of Somalia for TPS.

The extension of TPS for Somalia will allow approximately 600 current beneficiaries to retain TPS through March 17, 2026, if they re-register and continue to meet TPS eligibility requirements.

The redesignation of Somalia for TPS also allows an estimated 4,300 additional Somali nationals to file initial applications for TPS, if they are otherwise eligible. Such individuals must have established residence in the United States on or before July 12, 2024, and have maintained continuous residence since then.

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family-1266188_1280We are pleased to provide our readers with important new updates regarding President Biden’s recent executive order that creates a pathway to permanent residency for undocumented spouses of U.S. Citizens who have been living in the U.S. for at least 10 years, as of June 17, 2024.

Those who qualify can apply for “parole in place” a new discretionary program to legalize their status while remaining in the United States.

This program is designed to promote family unity, while eliminating the need for undocumented spouses of U.S. Citizens to travel outside the United States to legalize their status through the extreme hardship “waiver” process.

Eligibility Requirements

To be considered for a discretionary grant of parole, spouses of U.S. citizens must:

  • Be present in the United States without admission or parole (entered without inspection);
  • Have been continuously present in the United States for at least 10 years as of June 17, 2024;
  • Have a legally valid marriage to a U.S. citizen as of June 17, 2024;
  • Not have any disqualifying criminal history or otherwise constitute a threat to national security or public safety; and
  • Otherwise merit a favorable exercise of discretion.

Noncitizen children are also eligible for parole if, as of June 17, 2024, they were physically present in the United States without admission or parole and have a qualifying stepchild relationship with the U.S. citizen.

For complete details regarding the program, please visit our parole in place webpage here.

What We Know

Although we do not yet know what forms must be filed along with the associated filing fees, USCIS has announced that it will begin accepting parole applications on August 19, 2024.

More information about the application process and filing fees will soon be published in a forthcoming Federal Register notice. We will provide those details on our blog as soon as they are available.

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state-2731980_1280In this blog post, we share with you an important announcement from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

On July 8, 2024, the Department of Homeland Security announced an extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) benefits for Yemeni nationals for an 18-month period beginning from September 4, 2024 through March 3, 2026.

The Biden administration has made the decision to extend Temporary Protected Status for Yemeni nationals due to ongoing armed conflict and extraordinary and temporary conditions that prevent Yemeni nationals from safely returning to their home country.

Yemeni nationals (and individuals having no nationality who last habitually resided in Yemen) continuously residing in the United States since July 2, 2024, are eligible for Temporary Protected Status under Yemen’s designation.

Existing beneficiaries of TPS may re-register to maintain their benefits during the 60-day re-registration period that runs from July 10, 2024, through September 9, 2024.

Those who do not currently have TPS but who qualify for TPS benefits can register from July 10, 2024, through March 3, 2026.

It is important for re-registrants to timely re-register during the registration period and not wait until their Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) expire, as delaying reregistration could result in gaps in their employment authorization documentation.

The main benefit of applying for TPS is that those who are approved can remain in the country on a lawful basis, will receive protection against deportation (deferred status), and are eligible to apply for employment authorization and travel permission by filing, Form I-765 Application for Employment Authorization, and Form I-131 Application for Travel Document, with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

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design-5467034_1280We are pleased to inform our readers that yesterday July 9th, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs released the August Visa Bulletin. In this blog post we breakdown the projected movement of the employment-based and family-sponsored categories in the month of August.

USCIS Adjustment of Status

For employment-based preference categories, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed that in August it will continue to use the Final Action Dates chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence.

For family-sponsored preference categories, USCIS will continue to use the Dates for Filing chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence.

Highlights of the August 2024 Visa Bulletin

Employment-Based Categories

Final Action and Dates for Filing EB-2 and EB-3 India Advancement 

  • The Final Action date for EB-2 India will advance to July 15, 2012 and the Date for Filing to July 22, 2012
  • The Final Action date for EB-3 India will advance to October 22, 2012 and the Date for Filing to November 1, 2012

Other Categories

  • The Final Action dates and Dates for Filing for the remaining employment-based categories remain the same as the July Visa Bulletin

EB-3 Retrogression in September

  • The State Department warns applicants that the EB-3 Final Action date will likely retrogress or become unavailable in the September Visa Bulletin

Family-Sponsored Categories

Dates for Filing Advancements

F-2A Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents

  • F2A All countries will advance by seven and a half months to June 15, 2024 (from November 1, 2023)

F3 Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens

  • Except for Mexico and the Philippines, all other countries will advance by three months to January 1, 2011 (from October 1, 2010)

F-4 Brothers and Sisters of Adult U.S. Citizens

  • F4 Mexico will advance by two days to April 30, 2001

Final Action Date Advancements

F-2B Unmarried Sons and Daughters (21 years of age or older) of Permanent Residents

  • F2B Mexico will advance by one week to July 15, 2004

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united-states-supreme-court-6330563_1280The recent Supreme Court decisions handed down in Loper Bright v. Raimondo and Relentless, Inc. v. Dep’t of Commerce, have overturned a longstanding rule known as the “Chevron” doctrine, which eliminates the need for federal courts to defer to federal agency decisions and regulations moving forward. This move essentially strips power away from federal agency interpretations of the law and gives it back to the courts.

This is positive news in the world of immigration, considering that a federal agency’s interpretation of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) will no longer automatically prevail when litigating cases in court and filing immigration challenges to visa denials.

This will benefit many immigrants and businesses who for many years have been blocked by federal agencies from obtaining employment-based visas and green cards based on ambiguous agency interpretations of their cases.

For instance, in removal cases, those seeking review of decisions previously made by immigration judges’ or the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) will now have a clean slate, since courts no longer have to rely on an agency’s standpoint and can now interpret unclear laws with a new set of eyes.

These rulings could also pave the way for new litigation to be filed to defend challenges to previous visa denials. Where interpretations of the law once made by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) were automatically upheld in court, they will now be challenged forcefully.

U.S. employers seeking a favorable interpretation of a statute granting H-1B or L visa classification to a noncitizen worker may also have greater opportunities to argue their cases in court and win on behalf of their clients.

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international-2693195_1280We are pleased to report that the Department of Homeland Security recently issued a notice in the Federal Register extending Haiti’s designation for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for an 18-month period, from August 4, 2024 to February 3, 2026.

Those who qualify will be eligible to apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) that is valid for the duration of the TPS country designation.

The redesignation was made based on the Secretary of Homeland Security’s assessment that Haiti faces challenges that warrant ongoing humanitarian assistance based on the regional violence and insecurity throughout the country.

Who qualifies?

You may be eligible to apply for TPS under Haiti’s designation if you continuously resided in the United States on or before June 3, 2024, and have remained continuously physically present in the United States since that date.

However, if you arrived in the United States after June 3, 2024, you are not eligible for TPS under Haiti’s designation.

It is estimated that Haiti’s redesignation will allow approximately 309,000 additional Haitian nationals to file an initial TPS application if they are otherwise eligible.

Haitian TPS recipients will also be allowed to retain their TPS benefits upon their re-registration.

First Time Applicants

Under the redesignation of TPS for Haiti, eligible individuals who do not have TPS may submit an initial Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status, during the initial registration period that runs from July 1, 2024 through February 3, 2026.

Applicants can apply for a TPS-related EAD by submitting a completed Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, with their Form I-821, or separately later. The I-765 form can be filed online.

Re-registration for current TPS recipients

Current beneficiaries under TPS must re-register during the 60-day re-registration period that runs from July 1, 2024, through August 30, 2024. Qualifying beneficiaries who re-register and continue to meet the TPS eligibility requirements will be able to retain their TPS benefits and employment authorization.

Re-registration is limited to individuals who previously registered for and were granted TPS under Haiti’s initial designation.

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53598884922_4742d81a60_cLa semana pasada el mundo de inmigración vivió un evento sísmico. El Presidente anunció una acción ejecutiva histórica sobre inmigración que cambiará para siempre las vidas de los cónyuges indocumentados de ciudadanos estadounidenses y agilizará el proceso de visas de trabajo de no inmigrantes para los beneficiarios de DACA y otras personas indocumentadas.

En esta publicación, compartimos con ustedes todo lo que sabemos sobre cómo la orden ejecutiva beneficiará a los graduados universitarios estadounidenses que buscan visas de trabajo.

La acción ejecutiva del presidente Biden se anunció en el duodécimo aniversario del programa de Acción Diferida para los Llegados en la Infancia (DACA), promulgado por primera vez bajo la administración Obama. Además de brindar protección a las personas contra la deportación, la orden brinda alivio a potencialmente miles de beneficiarios de DACA y otros soñadores que han obtenido títulos académicos en los EE. UU. y están buscando oportunidades de empleo en campos relacionados con su curso de estudio.

Al hacerlo, el gobierno permitirá a los soñadores explorar opciones existentes de visas basadas en empleo, como las visas H-1B, TN, L, O, etc.

Detalles Claves

¿Qué hace la Orden Ejecutiva?

  • Visas de Trabajo: Los beneficiarios de DACA y otras personas indocumentadas pronto podrían solicitar exenciones aceleradas de inelegibilidad y recibir visas de trabajo temporales, otorgándoles estatus legal para vivir y trabajar en los Estados Unidos sin temor a la deportación.
  • Elegibilidad: Para ser elegible para visas de trabajo de no inmigrantes, las personas deben haber obtenido un título en una institución estadounidense de educación superior acreditada en los Estados Unidos y tener una oferta de empleo estadounidense en un campo relacionado con su curso de estudio.
  • Camino hacia la residencia: Existe la posibilidad de que estas visas de trabajo temporal creen un camino hacia la residencia permanente a través de opciones de patrocinio basadas en el empleo.

Importancia

Debido al polémico clima político, el Congreso de los Estados Unidos no ha logrado aprobar una reforma migratoria significativa que proporcione un camino legal para que los soñadores permanezcan en los Estados Unidos y contribuyan positivamente a la economía estadounidense, utilizando las habilidades y la educación que obtuvieron aquí en los Estados Unidos.

Por primera vez, el gobierno ordenará al Departamento de Estado (DOS) y al Departamento de Seguridad Nacional (DHS) que emitan una guía aclaratoria que haga posible que los beneficiarios de DACA y otras personas sin estatus legal soliciten exenciones aceleradas de inelegibilidad y visas de trabajo temporales.

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53598884922_4742d81a60_cLast week the world of immigration experienced a seismic event. The President announced a historic executive action on immigration that will forever change the lives of undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens and streamline the nonimmigrant work visa process for DACA recipients and other individuals. In this blog post, we share with you everything we know about how the executive order will benefit U.S. college graduates seeking work visas.

President Biden’s executive action was announced on the 12th anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, first enacted under the Obama administration. In addition to providing individuals protection from deportation, the order provides relief to potentially thousands of DACA recipients and other Dreamers who have earned academic degrees in the U.S. and are seeking employment opportunities in fields related to their course of study.

In doing so, the government will allow Dreamers to explore existing employment-based visa options such as H-1B, TN, L, O visas, etc.

Key Highlights

What the Executive Order does

  • Work Visas: DACA recipients and other undocumented individuals could soon apply for expedited waivers and receive temporary work visas, granting them legal status to live and work in the United States without fear of deportation
  • Eligibility: To be eligible for nonimmigrant work visas, individuals must have earned a degree at an accredited U.S. institution of higher education in the United States, and have an offer of employment from a U.S. employer in a field related to their course of study
  • Path to Residency: There is potential for these temporary work visas to create a path to permanent residency through employment-based sponsorship options.

Why This Matters

Due to the contentious political climate, the U.S. congress has failed to bring about meaningful immigration reform that provides a legal pathway for Dreamers to remain in the United States and positively contribute to the U.S. economy, utilizing the skills and education they gained here in the United States.

For the first time ever, the government will direct the State Department (DOS) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to issue clarifying guidance making it possible for DACA recipients and other individuals without legal status to apply for expedited waivers and temporary work visas.

How will this process work?

While complete details have not yet been released, the government will facilitate expedited review of waivers of visa ineligibility by clarifying that it is within a Consular officer’s discretion to grant a waiver for such individuals, making it easier for them to apply for work visas.

212(d)(3) Waivers and the Ten-Year Unlawful Presence Bar

Under current immigration law, DACA recipients and other undocumented immigrants face additional barriers to obtaining temporary work visas due to their unlawful presence. Under the law, anyone who has accrued unlawful presence for a year or more is subject to a ten-year bar that is triggered upon departing the United States. As a result, the ten-year bar prevents an individual from re-entering the United States for at least ten-years after their departure. This has been a long-standing problem for undocumented immigrants because the bar is triggered even when an individual leaves to obtain a visa at a U.S. Consulate or Embassy abroad.

To overcome the ten-year bar, work visa applicants are forced to obtain a discretionary waiver from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Admissibility Review Office. This waiver is known as the INA 212(d)(3) waiver and is designed to excuse certain grounds of inadmissibility including unlawful presence. An approved waiver removes the bar and allows such individuals to apply for temporary work visas at U.S. Consulates and Embassies. Only once the U.S. work visa is issued, can the individual re-enter the United States in nonimmigrant visa status and work for their employer pursuant to the terms of the employment visa.

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48554137807_fa4094864c_e

Source: Flickr Creative Commons Attribution Gage Skidmore

A estas alturas ya habrás visto los titulares de las noticias. Ahora analicemos la nueva acción ejecutiva histórica del Presidente Biden sobre inmigración y vayamos al meollo de todo lo que necesitas saber sobre esta orden diseñada para mantener unidas a las familias y brindar más oportunidades a los Dreamers.

Proceso para Promover la Unidad y Estabilidad de las Familias– Legalización de cónyuges Indocumentados de Ciudadanos Estadounidenses

Hoy, 18 de junio de 2024, el Presidente Biden anunció un nuevo proceso que permitirá la protección y legalización de los cónyuges indocumentados de ciudadanos estadounidenses que hayan residido en los Estados Unidos durante al menos diez años a partir del 17 de junio de 2024.

En virtud de la autoridad ejecutiva del Presidente, el Departamento de Seguridad Nacional (DHS), en coordinación con los Servicios de Ciudadanía e Inmigración de los Estados Unidos (USCIS), crearán un nuevo programa discrecional de “permanencia temporal” para que los cónyuges indocumentados de ciudadanos estadounidenses legalicen su estatus mientras permaneciendo en los Estados Unidos.

Aquellos que sean aprobados después de la evaluación caso por caso de su solicitud por parte del DHS tendrán un período de tres años para solicitar la residencia permanente. A los elegibles se les permitirá permanecer con sus familias en los Estados Unidos y ser elegibles para una autorización de trabajo por hasta tres años.

Las personas deben cumplir ciertos requisitos de elegibilidad para convertirse en residentes permanentes legales (titulares de tarjeta verde) bajo este nuevo proceso,

A continuación se encuentran respuestas a preguntas frecuentes sobre esta orden ejecutiva.

Q: ¿Cuáles son los requisitos para que los cónyuges sean elegibles para solicitar el permiso de permanencia temporal y legalizar su estatus en los Estados Unidos?

Para ser considerado caso por caso para una concesión discrecional de permiso de permanencia temporal en virtud de este proceso, una persona debe:

  • Estar presente en Estados Unidos sin admisión ni permiso de permanencia temporal;
  • Haber estado presente continuamente en Estados Unidos durante al menos 10 años a partir del 17 de junio de 2024; y
  • Tener un matrimonio legalmente válido con un ciudadano estadounidense a partir del 17 de junio de 2024
  • No tener antecedentes penales que lo descalifiquen o de otra manera constituir una amenaza a la seguridad nacional o la seguridad pública y
  • Merecer un ejercicio favorable de discreción para recibir permiso de permanencia temporal

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48554137807_fa4094864c_e

Source: Flickr Creative Commons Attribution Gage Skidmore

By now you’ve seen the headlines in the news. Now let us break down President Biden’s historic executive action on immigration and get to the nitty gritty of everything you need to know about this order designed to keep families together and provide further opportunities for Dreamers.

Process to Promote the Unity and Stability of Families – Legalization of Undocumented Spouses of U.S. Citizens

Today, June 18, 2024, President Biden announced a new process that will allow for the legalization of undocumented spouses of U.S. Citizens who have been residing in the United States for at least ten years as of June 17, 2024.

By virtue of the President’s executive authority, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in coordination with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will create a new discretionary “parole in place” program for undocumented spouses of U.S. Citizens to legalize their status while remaining in the United States.

Those who are approved after DHS’s case-by-case assessment of their application will be afforded a three-year period to apply for permanent residency. They will be allowed to remain with their families in the United States and be eligible for work authorization for up to three years.

Individuals must meet certain eligibility requirements to become lawful permanent residents (green card holders).

Below are answers to frequently asked questions regarding this executive order. 

Q: What are the requirements for spouses to be eligible to apply for parole and legalize their status in the United States?

To be considered for a discretionary grant of parole in place under this process, spouses of U.S. Citizens must:

  • Be present in the United States without admission or parole;
  • Have been continuously present in the United States for at least 10 years as of June 17, 2024; and
  • Have a legally valid marriage to a U.S. citizen as of June 17, 2024
  • Have no disqualifying criminal history or otherwise constitute a threat to national security or public safety and
  • Merit a favorable exercise of discretion to receive parole

Q: Are Noncitizen Children of Undocumented Spouses eligible for parole?

Yes. In addition to undocumented spouses of U.S. Citizens, their noncitizen children may also be considered for parole on a case-by-case basis under this process along with their parent, if they are:

  • Physically present in the United States without admission or parole and
  • Have a qualifying stepchild relationship with a U.S. citizen parent as defined by the Immigration and Nationality Act as of June 17, 2024

To qualify as a stepchild under the Immigration and Nationality Act, the noncitizen child must be unmarried, under the age of 21, and the marriage of their noncitizen parent and U.S. citizen stepparent must have taken place prior to the child’s 18th birthday.

Q: How is this new parole program different from the current laws in place?

This new “parole in place” program will eliminate the need for spouses of U.S. Citizens to travel outside of the United States to legalize their status through what is known as an extreme hardship “waiver” process.

The “waiver” process is an extremely cumbersome and lengthy process that requires the undocumented spouse to depart the United States and be interviewed and approved for an immigrant visa overseas. Only once the visa is issued can the applicant return to the United States.

This process has unnecessarily torn families apart and created much fear and uncertainty among applicants forced to remain away from their families for prolonged periods of time. Many applicants are the sole providers for their families and take care of children with disabilities, making this process extremely difficult to bear.

This executive action will instead open a pathway to permanent residence by allowing eligible undocumented spouses of U.S. Citizens to adjust their status to permanent residence while in the United States, without requiring them to depart the country.

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