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News & EventsThe 3/10 Year Bar
We constantly hear that undocumented immigrants are not obeying the "rule of law" or that because we are "country of laws" undocumented immigrants need to be arrested and deported regardless of their situation and the consequences to either them or the U.S. These...
USCIS Reaches FY 2011 H-1B Cap
USCIS announced on January 27, 2011 that it has received a sufficient number of H-1B petitions to reach the statutory cap for fiscal year (FY) 2011. USCIS is notifying the public that january 26, 2011 is the final receipt date for new H-1B specialty occupation...
After Public Comment, USCIS Announces Final Rule Adjusting Fees For Immigration Benefits
On September 23, 2010, USCIS announced a final rule adjusting fees for immigration applications and petitions. The final rule follows a period of public comment on a proposed rule, which USCIS published in the Federal Register on June 11, 2010. After encouraging...
DOL Continues Its Enforcement Rampage
A Consulting company based in Suwanee, Georgia, Smartsoft International Inc., has agreed to pay nearly $1 million in back wages and interest to 135 nonimmigrant workers temporarily employed by the company under the H-1B visa program. DOL reached this agreement...
President Obama Signs Border Security Bill
(Updated on August 13, 2010 - President Barack Obama signed a bill on August 13, 2010 that provides $600 million in emergency funding to help secure the U.S.-Mexico Border.) For details please click here. The following is the article from August 5, 2010: The Senate...
Musings From The AILA Conference
From June 30th to July 3rd, The American Immigration Lawyer’s Association held their annual conference in Washington D.C. Here are some of the tidbits picked up for our readers. More Efficiency and Sharing between agencies We are being asked by CIS to submit the...
H-1B Site Visit Update
For the past few months, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Citizenship and Immigration Services ("CIS") has conducted an investigation program aimed at visiting H-1B petitioner worksites throughout the U.S. These site visits began as part of the CIS' goal to...
No More Form I-94W
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano recently announced the elimination of the paper arrival/departure form (Form I-94W) for authorized travelers from nations participating in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP)—streamlining secure travel for millions...
Visa Stamp Fees May Go Up
The State Department has announced that it is raising visa stamp fees for non-immigrants. Effective June 4, 2010, the application fee for a U.S. nonimmigrant visa will increase from $131 to between $140 and $390 depending on the visa category. In Japan, applicants who...
Investigations of H-1B Holders in Newark
The AILA U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) Liaison Committee received reports from AILA members that CBP inspectors at the Newark, New Jersey airport port of entry were apparently assisting in an investigation involving certain H-1B nonimmigrants from India...