Immigration News Resources

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has received enough petitions to reach the cap for the additional 16,500 H-2B visas made available for returning workers for the early second half of fiscal year (FY) 2023 with start dates from April 1, 2023 to May 14, 2023, under the FY 2023 H-2B supplemental visa temporary final rule.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is updating policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to clarify that, effective immediately, USCIS will accept the self-identified gender marker for individuals requesting immigration benefits

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is removing the requirement that civil surgeons sign Form I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, no more than 60 days before an individual applies for an underlying immigration benefit, including Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status.

Written by Emma Winger and Raul Pinto of the American Immigration Council The Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) published a decision last week seeking to address a seemingly basic question: what law should an immigration judge apply when deciding the case of a noncitizen facing removal? In a time of remote hearings, when the immigration […]

The post What Is the Law? Under New Immigration Decision, the Answer Isn’t Always Clear appeared first on Immigration Impact.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has changed the filing location for courier delivery services to the Phoenix lockbox. The facility has moved to Tempe, Arizona, and the filing location for courier delivery services for UPS, FedEx, and DHL has also changed to Tempe. The filing location remains the same when using the U.S. Postal Service.

Petitioners for Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) classification (or their representatives) may schedule an appointment within two weeks before their 21st birthday to file Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant, in person.

On Monday night, 39 migrants died, and another 27 were seriously injured, in a fire in a Mexican detention center in Ciudad Juarez. The migrants—most of them from Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Venezuela—were being held for deportation by the Mexican immigration enforcement agency INM, after a sweep to pick up migrants who were working […]

The post Deadly Detention Center Fire Is a Reminder: Both the US and Mexico Are Failing Migrants appeared first on Immigration Impact.

The United States and Canada announced the expansion of their Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) last week during President Biden’s visit to Canada. Under U.S. law, a so-called “Safe Third Country” agreement allows the United States to deport asylum seekers to a third country without allowing them to apply for asylum. The move was kept […]

The post US and Canada Expand Safe Third Country Agreement in Another Move to Limit Asylum appeared first on Immigration Impact.

Those seeking protection from persecution in their home countries can apply for asylum in the United States, assuming they meet the proper qualifications. The main reasons individuals may escape persecution are due to religion, race, nationality, membership in a social group and political affiliations. The current asylum backlog in the U.S. is due to the...

The post I-589 Asylum Application Form – Get Approved in 2023 appeared first on VisaNation.

AILA DEI Law Student Scholarship winner Melissa McElroy describes how “immigrants with or without status are at an enormous disadvantage when they face immigration proceedings without an attorney” and how state and federal legislation aims to expand legal representation programs.

The post Legal Representation for Immigrants Protects Their Rights first appeared on Blog: Think Immigration.

We are updating the USCIS Policy Manual to address situations when the last day to file a benefit request or respond to a USCIS action falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or federal holiday.

The H-1B visa 2023-2024 registration results have started trickling in! Employers should check their accounts to see if they were selected. You will also receive a Form I-797C, Notice of Action, where it says “Registration Selection” in the box labeled Notice Type. On the selection notice, it will tell you the date period your company...

The post H-1B Registration Results Have Started Arriving appeared first on VisaNation.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has received enough electronic registrations during the initial registration period to reach the fiscal year (FY) 2024 H-1B numerical allocations (H-1B cap), including the advanced degree exemption (master’s cap).

Last week, a federal court in California issued a decision allowing asylum seekers and other plaintiffs to continue their legal challenge to the Trump-era “Remain in Mexico” program, officially (and in true Orwellian fashion) called the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP). The program—which forced migrants to wait indefinitely in Mexico for their immigration court asylum hearings […]

The post Where the ‘Migrant Protection Protocols’ Stand, Four Years After Going Into Effect appeared first on Immigration Impact.

Employers who would like to petition USCIS for a foreign national to come to the U.S. temporarily to perform service, labor or to receive training must file Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker. A wide range of individuals will therefore need this form completed on their behalf including those seeking H-1B, H-2A, H-2B, H-3,...

The post I-129 Form Complete Guide: Processing Time, Filing Address & More appeared first on VisaNation.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced that certain flexibilities it first announced in March 2020, to address the COVID-19 pandemic will end on March 23, 2023.

As Tax Day approaches, it is important to acknowledge the tax contributions made by immigrants—even those who are undocumented. These contributions play a vital role in the funding and sustainability of America’s public services and programs. Immigrants’ Tax Contributions Undocumented immigrants make significant contributions to the U.S. tax system by paying sales, income, and property […]

The post Dispelling the Myth: How Undocumented Immigrants Pay Taxes and Contribute to the US Tax Base appeared first on Immigration Impact.

The annual H-1B lottery registration window has officially closed (was extended to 5 p.m. Eastern on Monday, March 20th this year, due to technical issues on USCIS’ site). USCIS will carry out the lottery now until winners are notified on March 31st. 65,000 are allotted for the regular cap and 20,000 for the H-1B masters...

The post H-1B 90-Day Filing Window – Next Steps for Lottery Winners appeared first on VisaNation.

AILA’s Practice and Professionalism Center highlights a few recent “Pro Bono High Fives,” featuring AILA members, to inspire and encourage others to use their legal expertise to change lives, and maybe have some fun too!

The post Why Finding Your Pro Bono Opportunity Can Help YOU first appeared on Blog: Think Immigration.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced updated policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to clarify and conform with the revision of Form N-426, Request for Certification of Military or Naval Service.