U.S. Consulates to Prioritize Immigrant Visa Backlog

The Biden administration announced this week that it was directing U.S. embassies and consulates a priority on the processing of fiancé(e) visas and permanent residence visas (better known as “green cards”). The announcement reverses course from the previous administration, which had halted most green card applications filed abroad. » Read More

Applicants for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) receive a work permit in the form of the Employment Authorization Document (EAD), which is subject to timely renewal. Owing to COVID-19, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is facing substantial delay in processing EAD applications. » Read More

The Biden administration announced that it will not strike the H-4 EAD (Employment Authorization Document) rule, which allows spouses of H-1B visa holders to work in the United States if they meet certain conditions. This is a great relief for almost 100,000 H-4 spouses. » Read More

President Biden Ends Restrictions on Permanent Residence Visas

On Wednesday, the Biden administration announced it was rescinding a Trump-era order halting the issuance of permanent residence visas to most family members of United States citizens and current permanent residents.

The order barred anyone other than the spouse or minor child of a U.S. » Read More

The Biden administration is keen on bringing meaningful immigration reforms; an immigration reform bill was introduced on February 18, 2021, Congress. And SESO Labor, a small California startup, has raised $4.5 million to ensure that farms have access to legal migrant farmworkers. » Read More

The wait to get a U visa approved can run into many years. Immigrants risk their lives to cooperate with law enforcement and do not get their applications adjudicated for a long time. Currently, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is processing U visa applications from March 2016. » Read More

Trump Administration Extends Restrictions on Visa Applications for Foreign Workers

The White House has extended through March 31, 2021, restrictions on visa applications and entry into the United States for certain foreign national workers. The restrictions had been set to expire on December 31, 2020. » Read More

On December 3, 2020, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced it had filed a lawsuit against Facebook Inc., alleging discrimination against U.S. workers. This lawsuit, construed as a new push against tech companies by the administration, alleged that Facebook reserved positions for skilled workers with temporary work visas. » Read More

On December 2, 2020, the Senate passed bill S.386, the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2020. The Senate reached unanimous consent, and the bill was passed as amended. This Act would lift caps on the number of immigrants who can be approved for permanent residency permits (“green cards”), making significant changes to the employment green card system. » Read More

A lawsuit has been filed against the new Department of Labor (DOL) H-1B wage rule, seeking a preliminary and permanent injunction. Many analysts, such as the National Foundation for American Policy and economic researchers, believe that the new H-1B wage rule acts as a deterrent to H-1B employers by significantly raising the minimum wage required to employ foreign workers. » Read More