Washington, D.C. – May 18, 2018: Under the Bush and Obama administrations, the foreign student work authorization program (Optional Practical Training or “OPT”) grew dramatically, helping the U.S. retain foreign students, especially those in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics specialties (“STEM”). From 2004 to 2016,...
Washington, D.C. – May 18, 2018: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) has recalled of over 8,000 Lawful Permanent Resident Card documents (“Green Cards”), according to a May 14 announcement. The recall occurred because of the discovery of a printing error that affected the “Resident Since”...
Washington, D.C. - May 16, 2018: USCIS revised its policy guidance on immigrant investor (EB-5) cases involving tenant occupancy. Until now, the USCIS Policy Manual allowed for tenant-occupancy methodologies used by some petitioners to show their capital created, or will create, 10 indirect jobs. As of...
Washington, D.C. - May 16, 2018: USCIS updated its guidance regarding adjustment of status interview guidelines. USCIS confirms that waivers can be requested for interviews of employment-based adjustment of status applicants. USCIS however alerts applicants that an interview for adjustment of status will not be...
Washington, D.C., May 7, 2018: Over the past 12 months, the White House announced the end of Temporary Protected Status (“TPS”) for citizens of El Salvador, Honduras, Haiti and Nepal. TPS was originally granted to citizens of each of those countries because of humanitarian crises...
Washington, D.C. – May 7, 2018: As foreign students on F-1 status head towards graduation season and the hopeful start of their Optional Practical Training (“OPT”), employers and trainees should be wary of third-party placements. According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) guidance webpage,...
Washington, D.C. – May 3, 2018: The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) on May 2 announced an update to its Policy Manual, clarifying the rules for EB-5 Alien Entrepreneurs who have already received their Conditional Lawful Permanent Resident status (“Green Cards”) and who are...
Washington, D.C. – April 22, 2018: In the latest court decision between the White House and “sanctuary cities”, the Court of Appeals of the Seventh Circuit has decided that the federal executive branch may not withhold public safety grants from cities purely for their refusal...
Washington, D.C. – April 20, 2018: Not only do EB-5 investments need to show a risk of loss under U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) rules, but they also need a chance for gain. Although early EB-5 court cases focused on cases where the investment...
Washington, D.C. – April 2, 2018: The recent enactment on March 23, 2018 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 once again extended the EB-5 Regional Center program without material changes. The omnibus spending bill, which lasts until September 30, 2018, has created another window...
