Immigration News Resources

The Department of Justice asked a court to partially terminate the decades-old agreement that protects the rights of immigrant children earlier this month. The government argues that the Flores Settlement Agreement is no longer needed because a new Department of Health and Human Services regulation finalized on April 30 will provide sufficient protections to immigrant […]

The post Government’s Move to Terminate Flores Agreement Could Leave Immigrant Children Unprotected appeared first on Immigration Impact.

Effective May 22, 2024, we are updating guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual on family-based immigrant visa petitions (including Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative and, in limited situations, family-based Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant), including explaining how we handle correcting approval notice errors, requests for consular processing or adjustment of status on the beneficiary’s behalf, and routing procedures for approved petitions.

Iowa is following in the footsteps of Texas with a new law that would allow state officials to arrest, detain, and remove noncitizens who have reentered the United States after being deported—even if the person returned with permission from the federal government or later gained lawful immigration status. Just like Texas Senate Bill 4 (SB4), […]

The post Iowa’s Texas Copycat Immigration Law Challenged in Court appeared first on Immigration Impact.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced the opening of the application period for the Citizenship and Integration Training Academy (CITA), a new funding opportunity under the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program.

On May 9, the Biden administration proposed a rule that would allow asylum officers to consider and impose certain restrictions or “bars” to the initial asylum screening process at the border. Currently, these bars are considered later in the asylum process at a full hearing before an immigration judge. Comments are being accepted until June […]

The post Biden Proposes Rule to Quickly Remove Certain Migrants During Initial Screening Process at the Border appeared first on Immigration Impact.

USCIS’ San Francisco Asylum Office is opening an additional temporary location in Oakland, California. Effective May 15, 2024, asylum applicants under the jurisdiction of the San Francisco Asylum Office may receive an interview notice to appear at the asylum office located in Oakland instead of San Francisco.

USCIS will conduct system maintenance to the Contact Relationship Interface System (CRIS) on Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at 11:50 p.m. through Thursday, May 16, 2024 at 2:00 a.m. Eastern.

Six years ago, the Dallas City Council passed a resolution to make the city more welcoming for immigrants and long-time residents alike. The city council proposed policy recommendations to address the unprecedented challenges immigrants and refugees in the Texas city face. Alongside the resolution, the city, in collaboration with multisector stakeholders, launched the Welcoming Dallas […]

The post Taking Welcoming Work to New Heights in the Lone Star State: Welcoming Interactive 2024 appeared first on Immigration Impact.

On April 29, the Department of Labor (DOL) published a new rule aimed at protecting workers on temporary H-2A visas and strengthening the agency’s oversight of their employers. The rule is set to go into effect on June 28, with a two-month subsequent grace period. The H-2A program allows migrant laborers to work in temporary […]

The post Biden’s New H-2A Rule Expands Protections and Increases Oversight for Migrant Workers appeared first on Immigration Impact.

We have issued policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual clarifying when H-3 nonimmigrants may participate in training provided on the property of an academic or vocational institution.

Effective April 1, 2024, we centralized the intake process of Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant, and related filings under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) for self-petitioning abused spouses, children, and parents at the Nebraska Service Center.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is honoring its dedicated workforce during Public Service Recognition Week (PSRW) 2024. Celebrated annually during the first full week in May since 1985, PSRW is a time set aside to honor those who serve our nation as federal, state, county, and local government employees.   

When someone crosses the border to seek asylum in the United States, they often first go through a credible fear interview (CFI). An asylum officer evaluates a person’s fear of returning to their home country and decides whether they will be allowed to apply for asylum and other forms of protection. Because it determines access […]

The post Volunteers Needed for Credible Fear Interview Preparation in CBP Hotline appeared first on Immigration Impact.

We are updating our Frequently Asked Questions on the USCIS Fee Rule to help certain employment-based petitioners understand how to submit the correct required fees.

The Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced a final rule to strengthen the integrity of the T nonimmigrant status (T visa) and ensure eligible victims of human trafficking can access protections and stabilizing benefits on a timely manner.

On April 19, forty minutes after the ostensible deadline to reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), Congress passed H.R. 7888, the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act (RISAA). President Biden quickly signed it into law hours later. RISAA reauthorizes Section 702 for two years, provides modest reforms, and includes several controversial […]

The post Congress Expands Warrantless Surveillance of Immigrants Traveling to the US appeared first on Immigration Impact.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced the application period for the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program, which provides funding for citizenship preparation programs in communities across the country.

The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) recently announced its revision of the race and ethnicity question on federal surveys, including the U.S. census, adding “Middle Eastern or North African (MENA)” as a new category. This welcoming news came ahead of the Arab American Heritage Month in April. “These revisions will enhance our […]

The post Data Snapshot: Middle Eastern and North African Immigrants appeared first on Immigration Impact.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today announced the upcoming opening of international field offices in Doha, Qatar, and Ankara, Turkey, to increase capacity for refugee processing, strengthen strategic partnerships, and facilitate interagency cooperation.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has received enough petitions to reach the cap for the additional 19,000 H-2B visas made available for returning workers for the early second half of fiscal year (FY) 2024 with start dates from April 1 to May 14, 2024, under the H-2B supplemental cap temporary final rule (FY 2024 TFR).