Breaking News

This category is updated daily on interesting U.S. immigration news pertaining to family immigration, employment immigration and other immigration issues. The updates are meant to quickly keep our readers aware of the ever changing immigration laws and all the related aspects. For more information check our entire website on specific topics. Note that this blog does not cover all aspects of immigration news.

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Federal District Court in California reverses denial of I-485 based on terrorism.

November 2 2015 - This is really a great win for many practitioners who are constantly facing the issues of terrorism on cases. We applaud our colleague for this great victory. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California held that USCIS acted arbitrarily, capriciously, and contrary to the law in denying based on terrorism grounds the adjustment of status application of an applicant who was granted asylum by an IJ. (Islam v. DHS, 9/25/15)Read More Breaking News

Department of State Advanced copy of the Final Rule on Issuing Non Immigrant Visas

November 1 2015 - "The Department of State is updating its regulations regarding nonimmigrant visa format, and records retention procedures. These updates reflect changes in technology, including the current practice of issuing machine-readable visas and the planned future practice of issuing visas electronically. The Department is also removing an obsolete records retention provision and a visa review provision, both of which are now addressed in the Foreign Affairs Manual." As we get more information on the implementation of the new rule, we will post an article on the matter, until then please read…Read More Breaking News

Re-Alignment of Zip Codes for Bay Area California cases.

October 23 2015 - This was announced and brought to us by AILA.org. "In an effort to continue improvement in customer service in District 21, the San Jose Field Office will be realigning 7 zip codes in south Alameda county back under the San Francisco Field Office starting December 1st. These zip codes were temporarily realigned to the San Jose Field Office several years ago based on shifting workloads and operational needs. Based on current processing times in both offices it is now appropriate to return those zip codes back to the San…Read More Breaking News

Canada new amazing government taking 25,000 Syrian Refugees.

October 22, 2015 - Now that the almost xenophobic government of Steven Harper is out of the picture, Canada new Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, has indicated that he will welcome another 25,000 refugees from Syria in Canada. This is an amazing turn and victory for the immigrant community. We congratulate the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on his win and hopes that Canada gets back his great place as a welcoming nation. >> Read MoreRead More Breaking News

DHS proposes changes related to on-the-job training program for STEM students

ICE Media Release, Oct. 16, 2015- "The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today proposed changes to its regulations that would strengthen and enhance the process for foreign students with science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) degrees from a U.S. college or university to get practical training experience in the United States.  The enhancement of this regulation was announced as a part of President Obama’s November Executive Actions. The optional practical training program, or OPT, allows nonimmigrant international students and new graduates to extend their time in the U.S. on their F-1 student…Read More Breaking News

DHS Proposing a 24 Months Extension on OPT – Great News for F1 Students!

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposes to amend its F-1 nonimmigrant student visa regulations on optional practical training (OPT) for certain students with degrees in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) from U.S. institutions of higher education. Specifically, the proposal would allow such F-1 STEM students who have elected to pursue 12 months of OPT in the United States to extend the OPT period by 24 months (STEM OPT extension). This 24-month extension would effectively replace the 17-month STEM OPT extension currently available to certain STEM students. The rule also improves and…Read More Breaking News

Temporary Agricultural Employment of H-2A Foreign Workers in the Herding or Production of Livestock on the Range in the United States

The Department of Labor is issuing regulations to govern its certification of the employment of nonimmigrant workers in temporary or seasonal agricultural employment under the H-2A program. Specifically, these regulations establish standards and procedures for employers seeking to hire foreign temporary agricultural workers for job opportunities in herding and production of livestock on the range. These regulations are consistent with the Secretary of Labor’s statutory responsibility to certify that there are not sufficient able, willing, qualified and available U.S. workers to perform these jobs, and that the employment of foreign workers will not…Read More Breaking News

USCIS announcement on November 2015 Visa Bulletin

October 12 2015 - Beginning with the November 2015 Department of State (DOS) Visa Bulletin, if USCIS determines that there are more immigrant visas available for a fiscal year than there are known applicants for such visas, we will state onwww.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo that applicants may use the Dates for Filing Visa Applications chart. Unless otherwise stated on our website, the Application Final Action Date chart will be used to determine when individuals may file their adjustment of status applications. We anticipate making this determination each month and posting the relevant chart on our website within…Read More Breaking News