HR 392 immigration bill per country limitations india china mexico philippines

H.R. 392: Where are you in the queue?

H.R. 392, or the “Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act,” has been a controversial bill since it was introduced in January 2017.  This bill, if passed as is, would modify the U.S. immigration laws that specify “per-country limitations” on how many immigrants are accepted into the U.S. annually. Read more

USCIS PM 602-1060.1

Silent Dream Killer: The rules just changed for foreign students in the USA.

The USCIS has changed the rules again.

This time it affects students in F, J, and M status, effective as of August 9, 2018.     The new rules have to do with how the government will calculate unlawful presence for students, which can be triggered by quitting or missing too much school, taking unauthorized employment, changing programs improperly, or any number of other actions that show an intent to stay in the U.S.A. permanently.  Read below for a breakdown of how this new change can affect you.

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Imbalanced U.S. immigration policies need to realign with economic realities.

Immigration’s Perfect Storm: Recent ICE raids are a sign of a broken system

Immigration law, like any other, is a balance of public interests: the regulations are designed not only to protect U.S. workers from job displacement, but also to protect foreign workers from being exploited or abused.

The recent ICE raids in Nevada, Nebraska, and Minnesota and other recent immigration enforcement actions show that the system is falling out of balance.  The current administration has engaged in an unnecessary policy shift that has increased the difficulty of legal immigration as well as the enforcement and punishment of illegal immigration.  Though ostensibly done for the protection of U.S. workers, the new attitude towards immigration has resulted in an environment that encourages the unjust treatment and trafficking of migrant workers.  This “perfect storm” is the combination of (1) a U.S. worker shortage that makes employers desperate for laborers, and (2) immigrants desperate for work who are afraid of immigration officials because of the uptick in harsh enforcement.

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Taymoor Pilehvar describes effects of new legislation regarding E-visas for traders and investors from New Zealand.

KIWI Act Passed: Prepare for increase in U.S. Foreign Direct Investments from New Zealand investors.

On August 1, 2018, the KIWI Act (Knowledgeable Innovators and Worthy Investors Act) was signed into law with bipartisan support and will usher in a major change for economic relations between New Zealand and the United States, as well as immigration opportunities.  The aptly named KIWI Act adds New Zealand to the list of countries […]

New immigration policy gives USCIS adjudicators “full discretion” to deny cases without issuing Request for Evidence

The USCIS announced today in PM-602-0163 the rescission of the standing policy that Requests for Evidence (RFEs) or Notices of Intent to Deny (NOIDs) be issued before denial.  The current  policy directs adjudicators not to deny a case without giving the petitioner a chance for rebuttal unless there was “no possibility” for the deficiency to be […]