Immigration News Resources

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today announced a new family reunification parole process for certain nationals of Ecuador, advancing the Biden-Harris Administration’s effective strategy to combine expanded lawful pathways and strengthened enforcement to reduce irregular migration.

USCIS will conduct system maintenance to the Contact Relationship Interface System (CRIS) on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023 at 11:50 p.m. through Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023 at 2:00 a.m. Eastern.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has received enough petitions to reach the congressionally mandated cap on H-2B visas for temporary nonagricultural workers for the first half of fiscal year (FY) 2024.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is issuing new instructions for asylum applications submitted by individuals whose removal proceedings were dismissed or terminated by the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR).

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has launched a new Enterprise Change of Address (E-COA) self-service tool to allow customers with pending applications, petitions, or requests to update their address with USCIS more easily.

We are providing additional guidance on our interpretation of changes to the EB-5 program in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) made by the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 (RIA), specifically the required investment timeframe and how we treat investors who are associated with a terminated regional center.

Dominique Pando Bucci gives some insights into what the "administrative processing" term means for those in the queue at the Department of State; a webinar on October 12, 2023 will dive into the issue further for interested AILA members.

The post Decoding Administrative Processing Delays first appeared on Blog: Think Immigration.

Corruption within U.S. Custom and Border Protection’s workforce often has been hidden behind bureaucratic red tape. But what was once shrouded in mystery is now plainly available—on CBP’s own website. CBP has developed a “Transparency and Accountability” page designed to share information about CBP-related deaths, use of force incidents, and other incidents resulting in serious […]

The post CBP’s Own Website Provides Insight Into Its Agents’ Corruption and Misconduct appeared first on Immigration Impact.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas today announced the extension and redesignation of Cameroon for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months, from December 8, 2023, through June 7, 2025, due to ongoing armed conflict and extraordinary and temporary conditions in Cameroon that prevent individuals from safely returning.

AILA member Vincent Lau describes the importance of knowing the history and context of the PERM process as practitioners become familiar with using the new ETA Form 9089.

The post The Mysteries of PERM, Explained first appeared on Blog: Think Immigration.

AILA Policy Associate Paul Stern describes the rollercoaster clients and attorneys find themselves on as they try to determine where their application stands given crisis-level delays and backlogs at USCIS.

The post Information Overload: A Ride Aboard the USCIS Processing Times Roller Coaster first appeared on Blog: Think Immigration.

Today, the Department of Homeland Security is previewing a Federal Register notice for an 18-month extension of Venezuela’s 2021 Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation and a separate redesignation of Venezuela for TPS. The notice explains how to register for TPS under Venezuela’s redesignation and how to re-register for the extension. Applicants for TPS are eligible to apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) during the duration of the TPS designation.

Today, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced it is extending and expanding previously announced filing fee exemptions and expedited application processing for certain Afghan nationals.

On September 20, 2023, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced measures to accelerate the processing of some work permits and to extend their validity period for particular categories of individuals. These changes are substantial and are likely to have a meaningful impact on the large work permit backlog in the long run. For the […]

The post DHS’ New Work Permit Measures Are Welcome Change with Potential to Address USCIS Challenges  appeared first on Immigration Impact.

By Karen Aho and Robin Lundh of the American Immigration Council Today, Hispanic Americans form the largest ethnic group in the United States. The value of Hispanic Americans to the makeup of the United States—demographically, culturally, and economically—has grown every year. This Hispanic Heritage Month, we look at the most recent data to highlight the […]

The post Spotlight on the Changing Demographics of Hispanic Americans appeared first on Immigration Impact.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today awarded over $22 million in grants to 65 organizations in 29 states to help prepare lawful permanent residents (LPRs) for naturalization.

A recent Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) decision bars certain recently arrived noncitizens from becoming lawful permanent residents. In Matter of Cabrera-Fernandez, the BIA held that the petitioner had not been paroled into the United States when the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released him from immigration detention. Without parole he could not apply for […]

The post New Board of Immigration Appeals Decision Sets Roadblock for Cubans, Others Seeking Green Cards  appeared first on Immigration Impact.

After weeks of failed negotiations on spending, Congress has less than a week left to avert a potential government shutdown. Members of the House Republicans’ Freedom Caucus have refused to pass any spending bill for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) unless it contains HR2, their massive overhaul of border and asylum laws, at a […]

The post What does the looming government shutdown mean for our immigration system? appeared first on Immigration Impact.

In 2021, there were 2.6 million foreign-born Hispanics who had been in the U.S. for five years or less. This is down from 3.8 million in 2000.

The post 8 facts about recent Latino immigrants to the U.S. appeared first on Pew Research Center.

AILA invited members to share stories of welcome with us as the past two years have brought opportunities to help people, as they come to the U.S. through various ways. AILA members and their communities have opened their arms and hearts to people; this blog post includes several short examples.

The post The Welcoming Spirit first appeared on Blog: Think Immigration.