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Breaking News Archive XIX

Matthew Oh Attorney Reporting

(10/01/2008 - 04/30/2009)

 The Oh Law Firm and its Lawyers are not responsible for reliance by the reader on this information as each individual situation may be unique and different. The readers are advised to seek legal counsel from a qualified immigration attorney. The information stated here is subject to change.

The posting in the Breaking News requires visitors' some level of knowledge of immigration issues. Reading one posting without closely following previous postings will result in reading it out of context. The laws, policies, and practices of agencies are constantly changing and people should be careful in reading old postings. People should not take the news in this page as a legal advice. The purpose of Breaking News is to feed into the immigrant communities up to the minute news, especially inside information of agencies' decision making. Just like any other news reporting, the life span of the news can be very short. This is not a text book or a law book. It is a "news report." This site will welcome "only" those visitors who follow the news reports everyday just like the subscribers of daily newspapers. The sole purpose of this site is to serve the immigrant communities..


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04/30/2009: DHS Secretary Reports Progress of 30-60-90 Days Efficiency Review Results

04/30/2009: Text of Witness Testimonies at Today's Senate Immigration Subcommittee Hearing on CIR

Dorris Meissner
J. Thomas Manger
Alan Greemspan
Joel C. Hunter
Jeff Moseley
Eliseo Medina
Wade Henderson
Kris Kobach
Sen. Chuck Schumer
Sen. Patrick Leahy

04/30/2009: USICE Worksite Enforcement Strategy

04/30/2009: Reported DHS Change of Focus of Immigration Enforcement from Illegal Workers to Employers

04/30/2009: Webcast Connection to Today's Senate Immigration Subcommittee CIR Initiative Hearing - 2:30 p.m. EST

04/30/2009: President's 100th Day Presidency Press Conference and CIR - What's in Your Wallet?

04/30/2009: State Department Notice of Revised J-1 Exchange Visitor "Skills List"

04/29/2009: Official Full Text of S. 887 H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act of 2009

04/29/2009: Potential Impact of Senator Arlen Specter Switching Party on Comprehensive Immigration Reform Legislation

04/29/2009: CBP Fact Sheet: Automatic Revalidation of Nonimmigrant Visas For Return From Less Than 30-Day Travel to Contiguous Countries

Summer travel season is approaching and there are a few things which nonimmigrants should be aware of and keep in mind when they travel over to the U.S. contiguous countries and Caribbean islands. The following fact sheet should give a good guidance for these travlers:

The general rule is: The automatic revalidation of nonimmigrant visas applies to expired nonimmigrant visas of aliens who have been out of the U.S. for thirty days or less in contiguous territory (Canada and Mexico) with a valid I-94. However, these travlers should be aware of the following variations of rules depending on the types of visas and other details:

(1) In the case of F-1 and J-1 students, automatic revalidation applies to contiguous territory and adjacent islands other than Cuba.
(2) An M-1 student can only apply for automatic revalidation readmission after an absence of less than 30 days solely from contiguous territory.
(3) Nonimmigrants who are eligible to re-enter the U.S. pursuant to the authority of automatic revalidation are not able to benefit from the automatic revalidation process if the nonimmigrant's passport reflects evidence that while in contiguous territory or on an adjacent island the nonimmigrant applied for a new visa and is pending a decision or has been denied a new visa application.
(4) Nationals of Iraq, Iran, Syria, Libya, Sudan, North Korea, and Cuba are not eligible for automatic revalidation of an expired visa. Thus, for example, if a citizen of Iran travels to contiguous territory for a day and has an expired visa, but a valid extension approval notice of status; he will need to obtain a visa to return to the U.S.
(5) Automatic revalidation does not apply to the Visa Waiver Program. Readmission to the U.S. after departure to contiguous territory or adjacent islands for Visa Waiver Program applicants is covered under 8 CFR 217. 3(b).

Those in pending I-485 green card proceedings should understand that travel over the contiguous countries without a valid H or L visa status or without an approved advance parole will result in a deadly consequence of abandonment of pending I-485 applications even if they are readmitted into the U.S. after a short trip to Canada and Mexico with an expired visa in the passport under the foregoing visa revalidation rule. Rule of readmissibility from such trip is one thing and abandonment of pending I-485 is the other. They should never depart from the U.S. without a valid H or L approved status or a valid Advance Parole.

04/28/2009: USCIS-National Stakeholder Meeting Q&A of March 31, 2009

04/28/2009: Congressional Research Services (CRS) Releases Its Study of Issues Pro and Con on Foreign Worker Programs in Economic Recession

04/28/2009: USCIS FY 2010 H-1B Regular Cap Count Update of 04/27/2009 - 45,000 Ouf of 65,000 Cap

04/28/2009: Swine Flu and Government Actions

04/28/2009: USCIS Announces Changes in I-90 Filing Requirement and Procedures

04/27/2009: List of Witnesses to Testify in Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee CIR Hearing on 04/30/2009

J. Thomas Manger: Chief of Police, Montgomery County, MD Director, Major Cities Chiefs Association, Rockville, MD
Alan Greenspan: Economist, Former Chairman Federal Reserve of the United States, Washington, DC
Dr. Joel Hunter: Senior Pastor, Northland Church,Member, President's Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, Longwood, FL
Doris Meissner : Senior Fellow, Migration Policy Institute, Former Commissioner, U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, Washington, DC
Eliseo Medina: Executive Vice President, Service Employees International Union, Washington, DC

Noticeable in the list is Alan Greenspan, former Chairman of Federal Reserve. What Greenspan got to do with "immigration reform?" You guessed it. Because of the nation's top agenda on economic recovery from the crisis, the "economics" (economic gains and losses) involving immigration reform is likely to play a key role in this year's CIR debates.

04/26/2009: Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee Schedules CIR Hearing 04/30/2009

04/25/2009: On-Going USCIS Efforts to Reduce Backlog in Employment-Based Immigration Applications

04/24/2009: USCIS Acting Deputy Director, Michael Aytes, Addresses Employment-Based Wait Times

04/24/2009: President Intend to Nominate New USCIS Director

04/24/2009: Full Text of H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act of 2009 Senate Bill (Advance Copy)

04/24/2009: H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act Introduced by Sen. Dick Durbin (IL) and Sen. Chuck Grassley (IA) on 04/23/2009

04/24/2009: State Department Intends to Impose Expiration Date for Presidential Permit of Border Crossing of Transportations

04/23/2009: Curious of "DREAM" Kids?

04/23/2009: 2010 Census Survey and Importance of Participation of Undocumented Aliens in the Survey and for 2010 Mid-Term National Election

04/22/2009: Senate Bill to Expand the Immediate Relative Status to Surviving Spouse of Deceased U.S. Citizen Married Less Than Two Years

04/22/2009: House Bill Introduced to Punish Those Defrauding Aliens

04/21/2009: USCIS Houston, Texas Southeast Application Support Center (ASC) Closed 04/21/2009

04/20/2009: DOL Releases Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ Round 1) for New H-2B Program

04/20/2009: USCIS FY 2010 H-1B Cap Count Update as of 04/20/2009 - Still Only About 44,000!

04/20/2009: USCIS FY 2010 H-1B Cap Count Site

04/20/2009: Need for Interim Legislative and Administrative Fixes of Broken Immigration System Pending CIR Debate and Legislation

04/20/2009: Congress Returns to the Session Today

04/20/2009: State Department Form to Collect Former and Current Iraqi Employees of Department's Prime Contractors/Grantees/Cooperative Agreement Partners

04/19/2009: Victims of Broken Immigration System - Legal or Illegal Children Accompanied Illegal or Legal Immigrant Parents

04/19/2009: Massive "May Day" Rallies for CIR on the Move

04/17/2009: USCIS Issues Guidance for Processing of Military Naturalization Applicants Who Failed to Respond to RFE or Failed to Appear for Scheduled Interviews

04/17/2009: E-Verify Mandatory Requirement for Government Contractors/Subcontractors Further Delayed to 06/30/2009

04/17/2009: Critical Date for Fate of Door Opening for "Concurrent" Filing of I-360/I-485 in Religious Worker Special Immigration Proceedings

04/16/2009: USCIS Updates on 04/16/2009 Processing Times as of 02/28/2009

04/16/2009: DOL Extends Date of Need for H-2A Employers from Current 07/01/2009 to 01/01/2010

04/16/2009: Mysterious USCIS Calm on FY 2010 H-1B Cap Count

04/16/2009: Mixed Signals Sending Out From the Hill and the White House on CIR This Year

04/16/2009: USCIS Statistics of Immigration Benefits Applications and Petitions Processing and Pending Cases as of End of February 2009

04/15/2009: AFL-CIO Come Frontline to Support Immigration Reform Short of "Comprehensive" Reform

04/15/2009: AILA's Annual National Conference in June 2009 and Representation of Increased Stakeholder Agencies

04/15/2009: DOL Activates and Launches New H-1B and PERM Filing System of iCERT System Portal Today

04/12/2009: Upcoming Immigration Reform Debates and Focus of "Comprehensive" Immigration Reform

04/11/2009: PERM Processing Progress

04/11/2009: Statistics of H-1B Visa Holders in the U.S. and Reach of H-1B Cap in Recent Years

04/11/2009: Revised/Updated Post-Completion OPT SEVP Policy Guidance 04/06/2009

04/10/2009: Advisory for FY 2010 H-1B Cap Filers

04/10/2009: New Nonimmigrant Visa Application Procedure Requiring ASC Biometric at U.S. Consulates in Ciudad Juarez, Monterrey and Nuevo Laredo, Mexico

04/10/2009: Office of Foreign Labor Certification Announces New iCERT System Rollout Schedule

04/09/2009: Here is the USCIS 04/09/2009 Update of FY 2010 H-1B Cap Counts and Processing Information

04/09/2009: USCIS Notice of Infopass Appointment Close Schedules

04/09/2009: FY 2010 H-1B Cap Count Update

04/09/2009: CIR Drummed Up in Time for U.S.-Mexico Summit Meeting in Mexico Coming Week

04/08/2009: FY 2010 H-1B Cap Processing Update

04/08/2009: May 2009 Visa Bulletin

04/08/2009: USCIS Announcement: USCIS Continues to Accept FY 2010 Petitions

04/08/2009: USCIS FY 2010 H-1B Cap Status Report of April 8, 2009

04/08/2009: What Kind of FY 2010 H-1B Cap Count Will the USCIS Announce Today or Tomorrow?

04/08/2009: USCIS Projected I-140 and EB-485 Processing Times and Ongoing Massive Adjudication of Pending Visa Number Available I-140 and EB-485 Cases

04/08/2009: State Department Fixes Current Au Pairs Exchange Visitor Rule as Final Rule Without Any Changes

04/05/2009: USCIS Employer Handbook for Completing New I-9 Form 04/03/2009

04/04/2009: Congress Passed Concurrent Resolution, H. Con. Res. 93, to "Conditional" Recess Until April 20, 2009

04/03/2009: FY 2010 H-1B Cap Count: USCIS Silence and What is at Stake for Filers Before April 8, 2008

04/03/2009: House Bill for a Relief for Surviving Spouse and Children

04/03/2009: Update of Litigation Challenging 29-Month OPT Rule

04/03/2009: Mr. Michael Aytes, Acting Deputy Director of USCIS Testifies: "Priorities Enforcing Immigration Law"

04/03/2009: USCIS Reminder of All Employers for Requirement of Revised Form I-9 Effective Today

04/03/2009: Bill Introduced in the House for H-2B Returning Temporary Worker Cap Exemption for FY 2009

04/03/2009: AAO Appeal Processing Times of March 18, 2009

04/02/2009: "A Day in the Life of USCIS": Did You Know These Average Daily Statistics Involving the USCIS?

04/02/2009: GAO April 2009 Report on Lobbying Disclosure

04/02/2009: CIS Ombudsman Recommendation of 04/01/2009 for Improving the Process for Payment of USCIS Filing Fees and Other Costs

04/02/2009: USCIS Releases I-360 Religious Worker Special Immigrant Petition Filing Check List 03/30/2009

04/02/2009: USCIS Releases I-129R Nonimmigrant Religious Worker Petition Filing Check List 03/30/2009

04/02/2009: USCIS Joint Memorandum of Directors of Three Directorates: Refugee, Asylum & International Operations, Domestic Operations, & Policy and Strategy

04/01/2009: USCIS Q&A: Extension of Post Completion OPT and F-1 Status for Eligible Students Under the Cap Gap Regulations

04/01/2009: Full Text of U.S. Ph.D. STEM Foreign Worker Immigration Bill

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Stopping Trained in America Ph.D.s From Leaving the Economy Act of 2009' or the `STAPLE Act'.

SEC. 2. EXEMPTION FROM NUMERICAL LIMITATIONS ON PERMANENT RESIDENTS FOR CERTAIN UNITED STATES EDUCATED IMMIGRANTS.

(a) Aliens Not Subject to Direct Numerical Limitations- Section 201(b)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1151(b)(1)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

`(F) Aliens who have earned a Ph.D. degree from a United States institution of higher education (as defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))) in a field of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics and who have an offer of employment from a United States employer in a field related to such degree.'.

(b) Procedure for Granting Immigrant Status- Section 204(a)(1)(F) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1154(a)(1)(F)) is amended--

(1) by striking `or' after `203(b)(2)';

(2) by inserting `, or 201(b)(1)(F)' after `203(b)(3)'; and

(3) by striking `Attorney General' and inserting `Secretary of Homeland Security'.

SEC. 3. EXEMPTION FROM H-1B NUMERICAL LIMITATION FOR CERTAIN UNITED STATES EDUCATED NONIMMIGRANTS.

Section 214(g)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1184(g)(5)) is amended--

(1) in subparagraph (B), by striking `or';

(2) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

`(D) has earned a Ph.D. degree from a United States institution of higher education (as defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))) in a field of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics and with respect to whom the petitioning employer requires such education as a condition for the employment.'.

04/01/2009: Senators Grassley of Iowa and Durbin of Illinois Poised to Reintroduce H-1B/L-1 Reform (Restriction) Bill in the Senate

03/31/2009: ICE Releases Cap-Gap Fact Sheet for Students

03/31/2009: ICE Releases OPT Checklist for Students

03/31/2009: DHS Delays the Transition to Full Application of U.S. Immigration Laws in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

03/31/2009: USCIS Releases Eye-View of Target Processing Times at 09/30/2009 and Current Backlog by Type of Cases

03/31/2009: U.S. Earned STEM Ph.D Workers Special Immigration Bill Introduced in the House

03/31/2009:House Bill to Expedite I-140 for Extraordinary Artistic Ability Workers

03/30/2009: Permanent Labor Certification Processing Status

03/30/2009: Effective 04/01/2009 Six-Month Automatic EAD Extension for Extended DED Eligible Liberians

03/30/2009: DHS Initiative of Efficiency Review and Belt-Tightening/Reform of Management Underway

03/28/2009: DREAM Act of 2009 - Sen. Dick Durbin, Sponsor of the Bill, Press Release (Edited)

03/28/2009: DHS Updates and Releases Immigration Statistics (FY 2008) March 2009

03/27/2009: Full Text of Newly Introduced "DREAM Act of 2009" Bill

03/27/2009: Federal District Court in Seattle Rules Religious Workers Should Be Eligible for "Concurrent" Filing of I-360 and I-485

03/26/2009: "DREAM" Act Reintroduced in the House and Senate for Illegal Youngsters Permanent Residence

03/26/2009: USCIS Liberian DED Extension

03/26/2009: March 2009 DHS Inspector General Report on Management Oversight of Immigration Benefit Application

03/26/2009: USCIS Response to CIS Ombudsman's Recommendation for Improving the Processing of "Schedule A" Nurse Visas

03/26/2009: PERM First Quarter Selected Statistics of FY 2009

03/26/2009: DOL Notice of Withdrawal of Interpretation of the FLSA Concerning Relocation Expenses Incurred by H-2A and H-2B Workers

03/25/2009: Indian Business Delagates Reportedly Met Obama Team Last Week to Make a Case for H-1B Program

03/25/2009: USCIS Memorandum Extends Validity of Medical Examination Reports (Classes A & B) Until I-485 Adjudication

03/25/2009: Forty-One Congressmen and Women Request DHS and DOS Secretaries to Expand Visa Waiver Program to the Nationals of Greece

03/25/2009: Darkest Era of Immigration System in Recent American History

03/25/2009: What is Foreign Labor Certification iCERT Visa Portal System?

03/25/2009: New PERM Application Form 9089 and Filing Procedure Change (From Current Online Filing System to New iCERT Visa Portal System) Schedules for Permanent Labor Certification Applications

03/25/2009: New Labor Condition Application Form 9035E and Filing Procedure Change (From Current Online Filing System to New iCERT Visa Portal System) Schedules for H-1B

03/23/2009: U.S. Immigration Policy on Permanent Admissions - CRS Report of 03/09/2009

03/23/2009: FY 2010 H-1B Cap Filing Tip: Preservation of Evidence for Filing and Filing Date

03/21/2009: Questions & Answers at USCIS-AILA Meeting, 03/19/2009

03/20/2009: Liberians Saved from Forced Departure from the United States

03/20/2009: USCIS Updates I-129 Form to Reflect TARP Attestation

03/20/2009: President Signed into Law, P.L. 111-9, Today Lofgren Immigration Program Extension Bill, H.R. 1127

03/20/2009: FY 2010 H-1B Cap: USCIS Announcements

03/20/2009: DHS Testimony on Biometric Identification Before House Committees

03/20/2009: USCIS to Release Answers to Scope of TARP-Funded Employer Restrictions to H-1B New Hire

03/20/2009: Mr. Michael Aytes, USCIS Acting Deputy Director Reports "USCIS and FBI Achieve Interim Backlog Elimination Goals" in DHS Leadership Journal

03/20/2009: NSC I-140 Adjudication is Indeed Moving Forward

03/20/2009: Backburner Immigration Reform and Rep. Gutierrez (IL) Initiative to Mobilize Support for CIR

03/20/2009: Senate Bill to Grant Permanent Residence to Certain Nationals of Liberia

03/20/2009: Will Congress be Able to Override Matter of Compean, et. al, 24 I&N 710 (A.G. 2009), Interim Decision #3632 (A.G. January 7, 2009)?

03/19/2009: USCIS Four-Month Processing Time Report of Certain Immigration Programs Flooding Status Calls to the Agency and Legal Representatives

03/19/2009: Update of Lofgren Immigration Program Extension Legislation

03/18/2009: H2A Regulation Mailbox Temporarily Suspended

03/18/2009: What About Reengineered H-2B Rule?

03/17/2009: DOL Releases FAQ on Proposed H-2A New Regulation Suspension

03/17/2009: DOL Proposes Suspension of Reengineered H-2A Rule for 9 Months

03/17/2009: Profile of Mr. John Morton, Nominee for Assistant Secretary for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), DHS

03/16/2009: USCIS Updates Processing Times as of 01/31/2009

03/15/2009: Approaching FY 2010 H-1B Cap Filing and Unanswered Question on Current Employees of TARP Employers Seeking Change of Status from Other Nonimmigrant to H-1B

03/14/2009: H-2B Wage Determination Alert for Employment That Begins on or after October 1, 2009

03/14/2009: Acceptable Evidence of "Completion of Degree Requirments" for the Purpose of H-1B Cap Filing with California Service Center

03/13/2009: USCIS Online Status Check Hits - Estimate 20,000,000/Year

03/13/2009: Senate Bill, S. 577 to Punish Immigration Sharks Defrauding and Victimizing Immigrants and Related Parties

03/13/2009: USCIS File Digitization and Backlog Reduction Plan

03/12/2009: Congress Passed Lofgren Immigration Programs Extension Legislative Bill and Timing of President's Obama's Signature Into Law

03/12/2009: USCIS Announces EB-5 Program Extension Through 09/30/2009 and USCIS' Continuous Processing and Adjudication of I-526 and Related I-485

03/12/2009: USCIS Monthly Newsletter and Responsive Gorvernment

03/11/2009: Senate Passed by Unanimous Consent Rep. Lofgren Bill, H.R. 1127 Without Amendment Extending Two Programs Until 09/30/2009

03/11/2009: Full Text of Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009 and Immigration Program Extensions

03/11/2009: Congress Freezes New Contracting of Government Jobs to Private Contractors Until 09/30/2009

03/11/2009: Plea for Administrative Fix of Broken Employment-Based Immigration System

03/10/2009: Congress Passes Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009, H.R. 1105

03/10/2009: NSC Projected Processing Times of I-140 Petition and EB-485 Applications

03/10/2009: NSC I-140 Processing Times as of 02/26/2009

03/10/2009: Understanding Management, Uses, and Availability of Individual Private Records of USCIS Computer Immigration Benefits Information System

03/09/2009: State Department Prediction of Visa Availability in the Coming Months

03/09/2009: Official April 2009 Visa Bulletin

03/09/2009: Acting Deputy Director Michael Aytes Emotional Message in the DHS Leadership Journal on Naturalization Sworn-In Ceremony in DC

03/09/2009: We Urge Honorable New Secretary of State Clinton to Consider Reinstatement of Employment-Based Nonimmigrant Visa Revalidation Program

03/09/2009: Obama Administration to Act Against Contracting Government Jobs to Private Contractors

03/08/2009: Senate Schedule of Omnibus Appropriations Bill, H.R. 1105

03/08/2009: Reminder for Employers: I-9 Form Changes Before and After 04/03/2009

03/07/2009: Main Text of "Tibetan Refugee Assistance Act of 2009" House Bill

(a) In General- Notwithstanding the numerical limitations specified in sections 201 and 202 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1151 and 1152), there shall be made available to qualified displaced Tibetans described in subsection (b) of this section 3,000 immigrant visas in the 3-fiscal-year period beginning with fiscal year 2010.
(b) Qualified Displaced Tibetan Described-

(1) IN GENERAL- An individual is a qualified displaced Tibetan if such individual is an individual who-
(A) is a native of Tibet; and
(B) since before the date of the enactment of this Act, has been continuously residing in India or Nepal.
(2) NATIVE OF TIBET DESCRIBED- For purposes of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1), an individual shall be considered to be a native of Tibet if such individual was born in Tibet or is the son, daughter, grandson, or granddaughter of an individual born in Tibet.

(c) Distribution of Visa Numbers- The Secretary of State shall ensure that immigrant visas provided under subsection (a) are made available to qualified displaced Tibetans described in subsection (b) (or described in subsec (d) as the spouse or child of such a qualified displaced Tibetan) in an equitable manner, giving preference to those qualified displaced Tibetans who are not resettled in India or Nepal or who are most likely to be resettled successfully in the United States.
(d) Derivative Status for Spouses and Children- A spouse or child (as defined in subparagraphs (A), (B), (C), (D), or (E) of section 101(b)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(b)(1))) shall, if not otherwise entitled to an immigrant status and the immediate issuance of a visa under this section, be entitled to the same status, and the same order of consideration, provided under this section, if accompanying, or following to join, the spouse or parent of such spouse or child.

03/07/2009: USCIS Statistics of Receipts and Backlogs of Naturalization Applications as of January 31, 2009

03/07/2009: USCIS Statistics of Receipts and Backlogs of Immigration Benefit Applications as of January 31, 2009

03/07/2009: Wild-Fire Rumor of EB-3 One Year Retrogression for Worldwide Category in April 2009 Visa Bulletin

03/07/2009: DOL Under Development of an Integrated Web-Based H-1B and PERM Case Management System

03/07/2009: Omnibus Appropriations Bill in the Senate: What Happened Yesterday? It is Not a Done Deal!

03/06/2009: H.J. Res.38 Continuing Resolution Extends Sunsetting Immigration Programs Until 03/11/2009, Wednesday

03/06/2009: House Passes Continuing Resolution, H.J. Res. 38 to Prevent Shutdown of Federal Government

03/06/2009: Will the Congress Indeed Let the Sunsetting Immigration Programs to Sunset at the End of Today?

03/06/2009: TARP-Funded Company Foreign Employees Requiring Extension or Change of Status to H-1B

03/06/2009: House Bill to Admit Certain Tibetans to the United States

03/05/2009: Employers Approved for H-1B in 2008

Inforsys Technologies Limited 4,559
Wipro Limited 2,678
Satyam Computer Services Limited 1,917
Tata Consultancy Services Limited 1,539
Microsoft Corporation 1,037
Accenture LLP 731
Cognizant Tech Solutions U.S. Corp 467
CISCO Systems Inc 422
Larsen & Toubro Infotech Limited 403
IBM India Private Limited 381

03/05/2009: Effective March 1, 2009, Immigrant Visa Application Financial Sponsor Must Meet FY 2009 Poverty Guidelines Income

03/05/2009: Will Omnibus Appropriations Bill with EB-5 Program Extension Pass the Senate Before March 7th?

03/05/2009: We Salute Rep. Lofgren for Her Courageous Fight for Passage of H.R. 1127 Yesterday

"March 4, 2009.

DEAR REPRESENTATIVE: We write to strongly urge the House of Representatives to pass H.R. 1127, legislation that would extend the Special Immigrant Non-Minister Religious Worker Visa Program through September 30, 2009. As you know, without congressional action, this important program is set to expire on March 6, 2009. The Special Immigrant Non-Minister portion of the Religious Worker Visa Program became law in 1990. Originally enacted with a sunset provision, it has enjoyed broad, bipartisan support in Congress and has been reauthorized four times since then. Under this important program, up to 5,000 visas each year are available for religious workers employed by a broad range of religious denominations and organizations. Religious communities that participate in the program have found these special visas vital to carrying out their work. The following are just a few examples of how large and small religious denominations and organizations use the visas to benefit their own communities and the larger society: Catholic dioceses and Catholic institutes of religious men and women rely heavily upon religious sisters, brothers, and lay missionaries from abroad, who are sponsored and qualify for these permanent residency visas. Some fill a growing need in the Catholic Church for those called to religious vocations. Others provide critical services to local communities in areas including religious education, and care for vulnerable populations such as the elderly, immigrants, refugees, abused and neglected children, adolescents and families at risk. Jewish congregations, particularly in remote areas with small Jewish communities, rely on rabbis, cantors, kosher butchers, Hebrew school teachers, and other religious workers who come from abroad through the religious worker program. Without them, many Jewish communities would be unable to sustain the institutions and practices that are essential to Jewish religious and communal life. Smaller religious communities rely on the visa, as well. For example, the lifetime vocation of members of the Church Communities International, a religious communal order, includes a commitment to Christian brotherhood and faithful service through the provision of emergency relief, housing assistance, food distribution, education, medical care, counseling and mediation. To affect its ministries, the order depends upon the ability afforded by the program to relocate non-clergy religious members from its locations overseas. Other religious denominations, such as the Methodist and Baptist churches, The First Church of Christ, Scientist, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the Lutheran Church, the Hindu faith, the Church of Scientology, and the Seventh Day Adventist Church, also rely on the visas to bring in non-minister religious workers, who, in addition to providing some of the same services mentioned above, also work in areas as diverse as teaching in church schools, temple workers, producing religious publications, sustaining prison ministries, and training health care professionals to provide religiously appropriate health care. Because of the increasingly diverse ethnic makeup of our religious congregations and the nation as a whole, the special immigrant religious worker visa category is particularly important in addressing the specific pastoral and service-related needs of ethnic groups, including the Hispanic, Asian, and African communities. A special category for non-minister religious workers is also necessary because religious organizations face obstacles in using traditional employment immigration categories, which historically have not fit their unique situations.

We ask that you support H.R. 1127, which would extend this important program, prior to its expiration on March 6, 2009. Your support is vital for the continuation of the Non-Minister Special Immigrant Religious Worker Visa program and for the service of its beneficiaries on behalf of religious organizations and communities across the nation. Thank you for your continuing support of the Religious Worker Visa Program and your assistance in achieving a permanent extension of this program.

Respectfully,


American Jewish Committee; Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.; Church Communities International; Conference of Major Superiors of Men; Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society; Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service; Mennonite Central Committee, United States. National Association of Evangelicals; National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahai of the United States; The Church of Scientology International; The First Church of Christ, Scientist, Boston, MA; United Methodist Church, General Board of Church and Society; World Relief; U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. "

03/04/2009: USCIS Adds Passport Data in E-Verify Process for Foreign-Born Citizens to Enhance Reducing Tentative Nonconfirmations (Mis-Matches)

03/04/2009: House Passes Immigration Program Extension Bill Today

03/04/2009: Has Obama Forgotten Immigration?

03/03/2009: McCain Amendment to Omnibus Bill Defeated

03/03/2009: USCIS Abandons Current Policy of Requirement for Approval of I-485 Cases Pending in Excess of 180 Days from FBI Name Check Request

03/03/2009: Update of Omnibus Appropriations Bill in the Senate and Sunsetting Immigration Programs

03/02/2009: USCIS Reposted I-131 and I-765 Forms

03/02/2009: New Final Permanent Labor Certification PERM Form (ETA 9089)

03/02/2009: New Final Labor Condition Application Form (ETA 9035E)

03/02/2009: Labor Condition Application (ETA 9035E) Help Desk Information Released by DFLC

03/02/2009: Employers, Beware of Current State Laws Mandating Use of E-Verify

03/01/2009: I-765 (EAD Application) and I-131 (Travel Document Application) Forms Missing on the USCIS Form Site

03/01/2009: Senate Passed Unanimous Consent to Mark Up House Omnibus Appropriation Bill Monday for Debate, 03/02/2009

02/28/2009: Designated Countries for H-2A Agricultural and H-2B Non-Agricultural Temporary Worker Program Until 01/18/2010

 H-2A Eligible Countries  H-2B Eligible Counries
Argentina;
Australia;
Belize;
Brazil;
Bulgaria;
Canada;
Chile;
Costa Rica;
Dominican Republic;
El Salvador;
Guatemala;
Honduras;
Indonesia;
Israel;
Jamaica;
Japan;
Mexico;
Moldova;
New Zealand;
Peru;
Philippines;
Poland;
Romania;
South Africa;
South Korea;
Turkey;
Ukraine;
United Kingdom.
Argentina;
Australia;
Belize;
Brazil;
Bulgaria;
Canada;
Chile;
Costa Rica;
Dominican Republic;
El Salvador;
Guatemala;
Honduras;
Indonesia;
Israel;
Jamaica;
Japan;
Mexico;
Moldova;
New Zealand;
Peru;
Philippines;
Poland;
Romania;
South Africa;
South Korea;
Turkey;
Ukraine;
United Kingdom.

(Sources: H-2A new reg. and H-2B new reg.)

02/28/2009: Leadership and New Members of House Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee

02/27/2009: FY 2010 H-1B Cap Filing Procedure

 Important Cap Filing Information and Rules

02/27/2009: Backlog of Permanent Labor Certification Program and Proposed Two-Tier System of Applications

02/27/2009: Happy Sixth Anniversary of the Department of Homeland Security!

02/27/2009: Change of H-1B Employer For H-1 Employee Working for the Employer in a Parolee Status After International Trip Using Advance Parole

02/26/2009: Secretaries of DHS and DOS Certified to the Congress That Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) Implementation Requirements Have Been Met

02/26/2009: AILA Report of USCIS Clarification on Expanded I-140 Premium Processing Groups and Requirements

02/26/2009: Reminder to FY 2010 H-1B Cap Filing Employers

02/26/2009: House Passed H.R. 1105 Omnibus Appropriations Act of FY 2009 Bill With EB-5 Program Extension Until 09/30/2009

02/26/2009: Text of Bill to Allow Green Card Status for Long-Tem (5 Years or +) E-2 Nonimmigrant Investors

02/26/2009: USCIS Releases on 02/25/2009 Revised Processing Time Reports for December 31, 2008

02/25/2009: Short-Lived Hilarious News of NSC EB-485 Processing Time of Four-Month

02/25/2009: USCIS 01/27/2009 National Stakeholder Meeting Q&A as Released on 02/25/2009

02/25/2009: New Secretary of Labor, Honorable Hilda L. Solis

02/25/2009: Bill to Allow Immigration Opportunity for E-2 Nonimmigrant Investors

02/25/2009: Omnibus Appropriations Bill Introduced in the House

02/25/2009: Disappointing Rep. Zoe Lofgren H.R. 1127 Bill for Extension of Sunsetting Programs on 03/06/2009

02/25/2009: What Does Expanded I-140 Premium Processing Services (PPS) Mean?

02/25/2009: USCIS Fact Sheet on Expanded I-140 Premium Processing Services

02/24/2009: USCIS Expands I-140 Premium Processing Services to Certain Beneficiaries Beginning March 2, 2009 (Monday)

02/24/2009: Bill Introduced H.R. 1127 in the House to Extend Certain Sunsetting Immigration Programs

02/24/2009: Bill Introduced in the House to Extend Termination Date of Exempt of Returning H-2B Workers From Annual H-2B Cap

02/24/2009: Immigration Enforcement Sweep Against H-1B Violators and Undocumented Aliens

02/23/2009: Legislative Bills Introduced in 111th Congress Since January 2009 and Piecemeal or Comprehensive Immigration Legislation in Total Backburner

02/22/2009: Our Directory for Immigration Practitioners in Foreign Countries

02/21/2009: Full Text of S. 424 and H.R. 1024 on Gay-Lesbian Partner Right to Spousal Immigrant Benefits

02/21/2009: B-1 Business Visa Available for Foreign Missionaries Who Are Not Eligible for R-1 Religious Worker Visa

02/21/2009: USCIS Updates on 02/20/2009 Service Centers Processing Times as at December 31, 2008

02/21/2009: Sunsetting Immigration Programs in a State of Continuing Limbo

02/21/2009: House Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee Flooded(?) With Private Bills

02/20/2009: USCIS Immigration Benefits Applications and Naturalization Application Statistics as of End of December 2008

02/20/2009: Admission of EB-485 Applicants on Advance Parole and Validity of Parolee I-94 for Future Traveling

02/19/2009: DOL Announcement of Processing of H-1B Labor Condition Applications for TARP-Funded Businesses

02/19/2009: Sunset of EB-5 Regional Center Pilot Program on 03/06/2009 and USCIS Announcement of Its Actions

02/19/2009: H-1B Transfer Alert

02/19/2009: Watson Wyatt Wage Data No Longer Acceptable for Prevailing Wage Determination for PERM Application?

02/18/2009: Identity of Employers in Foreign Labor Certification and Immigration Proceedings

02/17/2009: Secretary Napolitano Issues Bold Efficiency Review Initiative

02/16/2009: President Day is Federal Government Holiday

02/15/2009: USCIS 2009 Poverty Guideline Took Effect on 02/13/2009

02/16/2009: Senate Bill to Extend Termination Date of H-2B Returning Worker Annual Cap Exemption Law

02/15/2009: Full Text of Nursing Relief Act of 2009 Introduced by Rep. Shadegg

02/15/2009: S.424 Bill to Treat Gay/Lesbian Partners as Same as Spouses in Nonimmigrant and Immigrant Benefits

02/15/2009: Running Out of Time for Legislation for Extension of EB-4 Nonminister Religious Worker Immigration Program and EB-5 Pilot Investor Immigration Program

02/14/2009: Tough Times Ahead for Professional Foreign Workers in EB-Based Nonimmigrant or Immigrant Journeys

02/14/2009: Senate Passed Stimulus Bill and Bill Awaits President's Signature As Early As Monday, President's Day

02/13/2009: Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee Members Appointed 02/12/2009

02/13/2009: Congressman Gutierrez (IL) Announces Five-Week, Fourteen-City Tour to Document Urgency for Immigration Reform in 2009

02/13/2009: Text of Conference Report Which House Approved Today

02/13/2009: Stimulus Bill Conference Committee Reached Final Agreement and Accepted Senate Bills to Remove E-Verify Bill and Accept H-1B Bill

02/13/2009: Eleven Arrested by ICE for H-1B Visa Frauds After Extensive Investigation of H-1B Visa Petitions

02/13/2009: Bills Introduced Concurrently in Both Houses to Treat Permanent Partners Equal to Spouses of U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident and Allow Spouse-Sponsored Green Cards

02/12/2009: Rep. Shadegg of Arizona Introduces a Separate Visa Category for Foreign Nurses

02/12/2009: Private Bill Introduced (H.R.1009) for Corina de Chalup Turcinovic by Rep Lipinski, Daniel [IL-3] on 2/11/2009

02/12/2009: Private Bill Introduced (S.415) for Maha Dakar by Sen Brown, Sherrod [OH] on 2/11/2009

02/11/2009: High-Tech Big Winner in Senate-House $789.5 Billion Agreement Reached Late This Evening

02/11/2009: Reportedly E-Verify Requirment Bill for TARP-Funded Contracts Failed to Survive in the Final Senate Stimulus Bill

02/11/2009: Mounting Hurdles for EB Immigration and Likely Rise of Self-Petitions and Outsourcing of the Foreign Worker Services

02/11/2009: Economic Stimulus Legislation Conference Committee Members

02/11/2009: USCIS Fact Sheet on Iraqi Refugee Admissions

02/11/2009: USCIS Announces The Status of Cambodian Adoptions

02/11/2009: Three More Private Bills Introduced in the House 02/10/2009

02/10/2009: List of Banks Receiving TARP Money as of 01/30/2009

02/10/2009: Senate Passed Stimulus Bill, H.R. 1, as Amended by S.A. 570, at 12:30 p.m. Today

02/10/2009: More Private Bills in the Senate

02/10/2009: State Department Advance Notice of Potential Certain EB-4 and Certain EB-5 Visa Number Turn Unavailable on 03/06/2009 or 03/07/2009

02/10/2009: Immigrant Visa Waiting List in National Visa Center, State Department

02/10/2009: Official March 2009 Visa Bulletin

02/10/2009: Sanders-Grassley TARP Employer H-1B Restriction Bill Survives in the Senate Final Compromise Stimulus Bill Which Will Pass in the Senate Today

02/09/2009: Senate to Vote on Massive IT Fund Cut from Stimulus Package

02/09/2009: State Department Proposes Online Filing of Immigrant Visa and Registration System, DS-260, and Online Applicant's Address Report System, DS 261

02/09/2009: Scope of TARP Employer H-1B Restriction Bill (Sanders Bill)

02/08/2009: Text of Bill Extending Sunsetting Returning Worker H-2B Program

02/08/2009: Another Private Bill, But This Time in the Senate

02/08/2009: New Development of Senate Stimulus Legislation and Update on Sanders H-1B Bill

02/07/2009: Clarification of Sanders H-1B Bill Agreed to in the Senate by Voice Vote on 02/06/2009

02/07/2009: Stimulus Bill Initially Included EB-5 Regional Center Pilot Program Extension Bill

TITLE XVII--IMMIGRATION MATTERS
SEC. 1703. EXTENSION OF EB-5 REGIONAL CENTER PILOT PROGRAM.
Section 610(b) of the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1993 (Public Law 102-395; 8 U.S.C. 1153 note) is amended by striking ``annually for 15 years'' and inserting ``for each fiscal year through fiscal year 2016''.
SEC. 1703. EXTENSION OF PILOT PROGRAMS.
Section 401(b) of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (division C of Public Law 104-208; 8 U.S.C. 1324a note) is amended by striking ``at the end of the 11-year period beginning on the first day the pilot program is in effect.'' and inserting ``on September 30, 2016.''

02/07/2009: H-2B Nonagricultural Temporary Worker Visa/Status Available Only for Certain Designated Nationals for Next One Year

02/06/2009: Senate Today Agreed by Voice Vote to Sen. Bernie Sanders Amendment to Economic Stimulus Bill With Compromise Amendment

02/06/2009: USCIS Response to CIS Ombudsman's Recommendations on EAD Processing

02/06/2009: AAO Appeal Processing Times 01/08/2009

I-129 F, Petition for Fiancée: Current
I-129 H1B, Nonimmigrant Specialty Occupation Worker: 14 Months
I-129 H2, H3, Temporary Nonimmigrant Worker, Current
I-129 L, Nonimmigrant Intracompany Transferee, Current
I-129 O, Nonimmigrant Extradordinary Ability Worker, 12 Months
I-129 P1, P2, P3, Athletes, Artists and Entertainers, Current
I-129 Q, Cultural Exchange Visitor, Current
I-131, Application for Travel Document, Current
I-140 EB1(A), Alien with Extraordinary Ability, 18 Months
I-140 EB1(B), Outstanding Professor or Researcher, Current
I-140 EB1(C), Multinational Manager or Executive, Current
I-140 EB2 (D), Advanced Degree Professional, 20 Months
I-140 EB2 (I), National Interest Waiver, Current
I-140 EB3 (E), (G) - Skilled, Professional, or Other Worker, 20 Months
I-212, Application to Reapply for Admission, 12 Months
I-360 EB4, Petition for Religious Worker, Current
I-360 J, Special Immigrant Juvenile, Current
I -360 VAWA, Violence Against Women Act Petition, 20 Months
I-485, Cuban Adjustment Act Application, Current
I-485, LIFE Act Adjustment Application, 14 Months
I-485, Section 13 Adjustment Application, Current
I-526 EB5, Alien Entrepreneur, Current
I-600 , Petition for Orphan, Current
I-601, Application for Waiver of Inadmissibility, 26 Months
I-612, Application for 212(e) Waiver, Current
I-687, Legalization Application for Temporary Residence, 18 Months
I-698, Legalization Adjustment Application, Current
I-700, Special Agricultural Worker, Current
I-821, Temporary Protected Status, Current
I-905, Application to Issue Cert for Health Care Workers, Current
I-914, Application for T Nonimmigrant Status, Current
N-470, Application to Preserve Residence, Current
N-565, Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document, Current
N-600, Certificate of Citizenship, Current
N-643, Certificate of Citizenship for Adopted Child, Current
(Source: www.uscis.gov)

02/06/2009: Senate Bill to Extend Returning H-2B Temporary Worker Extension Introduced on 02/05/2009

02/06/2009: More Private Bills in the House

02/05/2009: Score Zero for 111th Congress in Positive Immigration Legislation Proposals

02/05/2009: Distribution of Occupations for PERM Cases of 10/01/2008-12/31/2008 Period

02/05/2009: Distribution of Nationalities of Foreign Worker Beneficiaries for PERM Cases of 10/01/2008-12/31/2008 Period

02/05/2009: Pending PERM Labor Certification Applications as of 12/31/2008

02/05/2009: PERM Labor Certification Processing Times as of 12/31/2008

02/04/2009: USCIS Urges H-2A and H-2B Petitioners to Use New Form I-129

02/04/2009: USCIS Reminder of Sunsetting Nonminister Religious Worker Immigration Law and Its Actions

02/04/2009: USCIS Releases Information for Naturalization Process for the Military

02/04/2009: Alarming Latest PERM Application Denial Statistics

02/04/2009: Private Bills Introduced in the House on 02/03/2009

02/03/2009: Projected Launch Time of New ETA 9089 PERM Application Form

02/03/2009: Projected Launch Time of New ETA 9035 Application Form

02/03/2009: President Obama Revokes Certain Bush Executive Orders Concerning Rule Making and Review

02/03/2009: Omnibus Federal Appropriation Legislation and Sunsetting Immigration Programs

02/03/2009: Failure of Congress and Administation to Act on Immigration Reform and Mounting Private Bills Introduced in Congress for Individual Legislative Relief

02/02/2009: USCIS Changes Posting Date of Processing Times Report from January 23, 2009 to January 27, 2009

02/01/2009: DHS Secretary Napolitano Reports Her First Week as DHS Secretary in the DHS Leadership Journal

02/01/2009: CRS 01/51/2009 Report on U.S. Immigration Policy on Temporary Admissions

01/31/2009: Service Center Action to Embrace I-485 Applicants Who May Face Another Sunset of Laws on March 6, 2009

01/31/2009: Welcome Aboard, Mr. David A. Martin, New Principal Deputy General Counsel of the Department of Homeland Security


01/30/2009: USCIS Decision to Delay Amended I-9 Documentation Rule and AILA Contribution

01/30/2009: Computerworld Tracks Layoffs in IT Industry

01/30/2009: Secretary Napolitano Issues Today Immigration and Border Security Action Directive

01/30/2009: USCIS Announcement of Delay of Implementation of Published Rule for I-9 Documentation List Change

01/30/2009: OMB Publishes 2010 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC)

01/30/2009: Reduction of USCIS I-140 Petition Processing Time

01/30/2009: USCIS Statistics of Processing of Petitions and Applications at the End of November 2008

01/29/2009: USCIS Announces FAR (Federal Contractors/Subconstractors) E-Verify Requirement Implementation Delay Until 05/21/2009

01/28/2009: EOIR to Publish Tomorrow EOIR-28, EOIR-31, and EOIR-40 Forms with 60-Day Comment Period

01/28/2009: AILA Reports VSC Transferring Substantial Number of I-539s, I-751s and I-130s to CSC

01/28/2009: Microsoft Reportedly Included H-1B Foreign Worker as Part of Layoff Plan

01/28/2009: USICE Updates SEVP Approved Schools

01/28/2009: State Department Withdraws Proposed Changes to J-1 Exchange Visitor Program--Subpart A--General Provisions

01/27/2009: Senate Passed Bill S. 328 to Postpone DTV Transition to June 12, 2009

01/27/2009: Senate Bill S.321 to Expand U.S. Passport Cards to Travel on Air

01/27/2009: Estimate 2008 U.S. Population by State Released by Census Bureau

United States............................ 230,117,876
Alabama.................................. 3,540,023 Missouri......................... 4,490,136
Alaska................................... 506,417 Montana.......................... 747,082
Arizona.................................. 4,792,959 Nebraska......................... 1,336,437
Arkansas................................. 2,152,909 Nevada........................... 1,932,366
California............................... 27,392,136 New Hampshire.................... 1,022,451
Colorado................................. 3,732,321 New Jersey....................... 6,635,079
Connecticut.............................. 2,689,039 New Mexico....................... 1,481,906
Delaware................................. 666,863 New York......................... 15,082,281
District of Columbia..................... 479,817 North Carolina................... 6,978,737
Florida.................................. 14,324,069 North Dakota..................... 498,433
Georgia.................................. 7,136,903 Ohio............................. 8,755,533
Hawaii................................... 1,002,955 Oklahoma......................... 2,736,326
Idaho.................................... 1,111,176 Oregon........................... 2,922,485
Illinois................................. 9,722,303 Pennsylvania..................... 9,686,275
Indiana.................................. 4,792,111 Rhode Island..................... 822,248
Iowa..................................... 2,289,942 South Carolina................... 3,413,573
Kansas................................... 2,101,649 South Dakota..................... 605,885
Kentucky................................. 3,261,181 Tennessee........................ 4,736,294
Louisiana................................ 3,302,823 Texas............................ 17,601,203
Maine.................................... 1,041,589 Utah............................. 1,886,789
Maryland................................. 4,293,014 Vermont.......................... 492,340

Massachusetts............................ 5,070,934 Virginia......................... 5,945,888
Michigan................................. 7,613,224 Washington....................... 5,008,049
Minnesota................................ 3,965,749 West Virginia.................... 1,428,310
Mississippi.............................. 2,171,898 Wisconsin........................ 4,313,555
Wyoming.......................... 404,211

01/26/2009: White House Chief of Staff Issues Memorandum to Federal Agencies on Review of Regulations

01/26/2009: Overturning 'Midnight' Regulations of Bush Administration Reportedly Presents Challenges to Obama Administration

01/26/2009: Another Victim of Obama Administration's Review of Bush Rule-Making Scheme and Withdrawal - Department of Justice

01/26/2009: Apparent One of First Victims of USCIS Rule-Making Agenda of Bush Administration

01/25/2009: USCIS Announces Form Changes

01/24/2009: GAO Releases 01/23/2009 Study and Analysis of USCIS Filing Fee Increases in 2007 and Recommendations

01/24/2009: Did You Try and Fail to Access Foreign Labor Certification Site Last Evening and Last Night?

01/24/2009: Bill to Extend Basic Pilot Program for Employment Verification Requirement Reintroduced in the House

01/24/2009: Shake-Ups Underway for DHS Top Posts

01/24/2009: Sen. Grassley Demands Microsoft U.S. Citizen Worker Priority over H-1B Workers in 5,000 Job Cuts

01/23/2009: USCIS Updates on 01/23/2009 Its Processing Times as of 11/30/2008

01/23/2009: OMB Memorandum of 01/21/2009 to Agencies Concerning Guidance for Implementation of Policy of Holding Regulations Pending Review

01/23/2009: Plea for Compassionate Immigration Management Under Economic Crisis

01/23/2009: Annual Update of the HHS Poverty Guidelines 2009

01/23/2009: House Judiciary Committee Immigration Subcommittee Line-Up

01/23/2009: Senate Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees Members

01/22/2009: AILA's Immigration Policy Blue Print for Obama Transition Team

01/22/2009: HHS 2009 Poverty Guideline

2009 POVERTY GUIDELINES FOR THE 48 CONTIGUOUS STATES
AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Persons in family Poverty guideline
1 $10,830
2 14,570
3 18,310
4 22,050
5 25,790
6 29,530
7 33,270
8 37,010
For families with more than 8 persons, add $3,740 for each additional person.

2009 POVERTY GUIDELINES FOR ALASKA
Persons in family Poverty guideline
1 $13,530
2 18,210
3 22,890
4 27,570
5 32,250
6 36,930
7 41,610
8 46,290
For families with more than 8 persons, add $4,680 for each additional person.

2009 POVERTY GUIDELINES FOR HAWAII
Persons in family Poverty guideline
1 $12,460
2 16,760
3 21,060
4 25,360
5 29,660
6 33,960
7 38,260
8 42,560
For families with more than 8 persons, add $4,300 for each additional person.

01/22/2009: President Obama Order of Freeze of Release of New Rules Pending Review and Its Affect on Immigration-Related Rule Making

01/22/2009: New Version of N-400 Form Takes Effect Today

01/21/2009: List of Nominees and Appointees of Obama Administration

01/16/2009: Online Registration to Attend OFLC Public Briefing Sessions for New Labor Certification Forms in San Diego and D.C.

01/16/2009: The DHS Announces Upgraded Biometric Technology in Place at Major U.S. Ports of Eentry

01/16/2009: Economic Recession, Its Impact on Immigration, and Perspectives of Immigration Reform Policy and Direction

01/15/2009: DHS Announces Guam-Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Visa Waiver Program

01/15/2009: OFLC Posts New Forms for H-2A (agricultural) and H-2B (non-agricultural) Temporary Worker Labor Certification Applications

01/15/2009: USCIS Corrects Errors in Recently Published Rule on I-94 Verification Documents

01/15/2009: State Department Published in Federal Register Exclusive Electronic Filing Requirement Rule for Diversity Immigration Applications

01/15/2009: OFLC Publishes in Federal Register Announcement of Public Briefings on Using Redesigned Labor Certification Forms and Stakeholder Meeting

01/14/2009: OFLC Releases FY 2007 Foreign Labor Certification Program Performance Report

01/14/2009: Office of Foreign Labor Certification Releases FAQs on Supervised Recruitment in PERM Labor Certification Application

01/14/2009: House Judiciary Chairman Conyers and Immigration Subcommitee Chairwoman Lofgren Condemns Outgoing Attorney General Mukasey for Slamming the Door on Immigrants on the Way Out

01/14/2009: State Department Rule on Requirement for Exclusive Electronic Filing of Diversity Immigrant Status

01/14/2009: Full Text of H.R. 264 "Save America Comprehensive Immigration Act of 2009"

01/14/2009: OFLC Schedules to Offer Briefings on New Forms ETA 9035 for Temporary Labor Certification Application and ETA 9089 PERM Application in February 2009

01/14/2009: USCIS Reminder: Schedule of Close of Offices in Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area

01/13/2009: February 2009 Visa Bulletin

01/13/2009: House Children Healthcare Bill Likely to Help Immigrant Children and Pregnant women

01/13/2009: Senator Dianne Feinstein Proposes Changes to Requirement for Participation in Visa Waver Program

01/12/2009: Delay of Requirement of E-Verify System for Federal Contractors and Subcontractors Till 02/20/2009

01/12/2009: USCIS Update: USCIS Changes Filing Location for EB-5 Related Items

01/12/2009: Visa Waiver Program Travelers: Effective Today, ESTA is Mandatory for Admission to the U.S!

01/12/2009: Grim Outlook With Economic Crisis and Prediction for Immigration Reform Legislation in 2009 and Ahead

01/11/2009: USCIS Releases Form Changes Relating to Recent T and U Visa Rule Release

01/11/2009: House Committee Members Relevant to Immigration

01/10/2009: Bill Introduced Yesterday to Treat Harsh Aliens Convicted of Drunk Driving

01/09/2009: Foreign Workers, Are You Unemployed? Visit Our Matthew Oh Blogs Site

01/09/2009: February 17, 2009 Digital TV Conversion Extension Bill Introduced

01/09/2009: USCIS Publishes EB-5 Filing Address Change in Federal Register

01/08/2009: Sen. Sherrod Brown [OH] Joined Yesterday the List of Co-Sponsors for S.9 Immigration Bill, Changing Co-Sponsors to 13 Senators

01/08/2009: USCIS Announces That Over 100,000 Employers Use E-Verify

01/08/2009: USCIS Releases Fact Sheet on E-Verify Strengthening the Employment Eligibility Document Review Process for the Nation’s Employers

01/08/2009: USCIS Announcement of Reach of H-2B Cap for FY 2009

01/08/2009: Bill Introduced in the House for Comprehensive Immigration Reform

01/08/2009: Bill Introduced in the House to Exempt Filing Fees for Elementary/Secondary School H-1B Foreign Workers

01/08/2009: Advance Copy of USCIS Notice to Change Filing Locations for EB-5 Related Documents

01/08/2009: EOIR Seeks 30-Day Comment for Form EOIR 44 For Complaints Against the Immigration Practitioner before EOIR

01/08/2009: FY 2009 Second Half H-2B Cap Reached 01/07/2009!

01/08/2009: Line-Up of House Leaders for 111th Congress With Power to Impact Immigration Legislations

01/08/2009: Text of Senate Bill S.9 and Judiciary Chairman Leahy Supporting Statement on the Floor

01/08/2009: EB-5 Immigrant Investor Filing Address

01/08/2009: USCIS Reminder: End of TPS Re-registration Period for Nationals of Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador on December 30, 2008

01/07/2009: EOIR is Seeking 30-Day Comment for the Form EOIR 45, Notice of Appeal from a Decision of an Adjudicating Official in a Practitioner Disciplinary Case.

01/07/2009: Bill Introduced for Improvement of SS Card and Employment Verify System Against Employment by Unauthorized Aliens

01/07/2009: Bill Introduced to Legislate U.S. Citizenship Restriction to Child Born in the U.S. of Foreign Parents

01/07/2009: Bill Introduced to Legislate E-Verify Pilot Program Requirement for Federal Contractors

01/07/2009: Bill Introduced to TPS of Haitians

01/07/2009: Bill Introduced to Waive Citizenship Proof for Children Born in the U.S. for Certain Social Security Benefits

01/07/2009: Bill Introduced in the House to Protect Certain Parents of U.S. Citizen Child from Deportation

01/07/2009: The Oh Law Firm Confirms Accuracy of Yesterday's Report of The First Ten Senate Bills Introduced by Sen. Harry Reid Yesterday in the Senate

01/06/2009: The First Ten (10) Senate Bills for 111th Congress First Session of the Senate?

01/06/2009: USCIS Supplemental Q&A: Final Religious Worker Rule Effective November 26, 2008

01/06/2009: January 20, 2009 Presidential Inauguration Day and Extra Holiday for Federal Workers in the Designated Inauguration Area and Vicinities

01/06/2009: Watch How Many Immigration Reform Bills Will Be Newly or Re-Introduced Between January and February 2009

01/05/2009: U.S. Government Accounting Office (GAO) December 2008 Demands USCIS to Increase Actions for Integrity of Permanent Resident Petitions/Applications Procedures

01/05/2009: FY-2009 H-2B Cap Number Running Out Fast

01/01/2009: State Department Proposes Changes to J-1 Exchange Visitor Program--Subpart A--General Provisions

01/01/2009: Department of Justice Final rule to Implement BIA Rule Change Allowing Affirmance Without Opinion, Referral for Three-Board-Member Review, and Publication of Decisions as Precedents

12/31/2008: The First Day of New Congress (111th Congress) on January 3, 2009 and Events in January 2009

12/30/2008: USCIS 12/30/2008 Notice of Unavailability of E-Filing System Today

12/30/2008: Here is Malta VWP Designation Final Rule Published Today!

12/29/2008: Citizens of Malta Eligible for VWP Admission Beginning from 12/30/2008

12/29/2008: H-2B Cap Count 12/26/2008: 29,702

12/28/2008: Three-Year Bachelor's Degree, "Single Bachelor's Degree Requirement" for EB-2, and Recent Development and Variations as Reflected in AAO Decisions

12/27/1008: MATTHEW OH BLOGS

12/25/2008: Nonimmigrant Visa Application Form Change in American Consulate in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico

12/24/2008: Impact of the Reengineered H-2A and H-2B Final Rules on PERM and H-1B Labor Condition Application Proceedings

12/23/2008: Immigration Benefits Applications Receipts and Backlog Statistics at the End of October 2008

12/23/2008: Naturalization Applications Receipts and Backlogs at the end of October 2008

12/23/2008: H-2B Cap Count Update as of 12/19/2008: 27,111

12/23/2008: DHS Announcement of VWP Designation of Malta

12/23/2008: USCIS Update on N-400: "USCIS Revises Direct Mail Program for the Application for Naturalization (Form N-400)

12/23/2008: Here Are Details of N-400 Direct Mailing Beginning From 01/22/2009

12/22/2008: Natulization Direct Mailing to Lock Box Starts on 01/22/2009

12/21/2008: CIS Ombudsman Study and Recommendations on Naturalization Oath Ceremonies

12/20/2008: USCIS Dallas Field Office Moving to New Location

12/19/2008: OFLC Statement of 12/18/2008 Concerning the Released H-2A Reengineered Final Rule

12/19/2008: USCIS Offices to Remain Closed on 12/26/2008, Friday

12/19/2008: DHS Notice of ”US-VISIT” Expansion of Enrollment of Additional Aliens in US-VISIT: Collection of Biometric Data from Additional Travelers and Expansion to the 50 Most Highly Trafficked Land Border Ports of Entry

12/19/2008: Federal Register Release 12/19/2008 of DS-3035 Form (J-1 Waiver) Online Filing Requirement Rule

12/19/2008: Federal Register Release 12/19/2008 of the H-2B Change Regulations

12/18/2008: DHS 12/18/2008 Fact Sheet: DHS End-of-Year Accomplishments

12/18/2008: USCIS Q&A on Streamlined New H-2B Final Rule and Procedure

12/18/2008:USCIS Announcement of H-2B Streamlining Procedure Under the New Final Rule to be Released Tomorrow

12/18/2008: Effective 02/01/2009, DS-3035 Form of State Department for J-1 Waiver Application Can be Filed "Only Online"

12/18/2008: Advance Copies of H-2B Final Rules of DHS and DOL Scheduled to be Published 12/19/2008 With Effective Date of 01/18/2009

12/18/2008: H-2A Online Filing Site is Currently Up and Running

12/18/2008: Prediction of Shifts of U.S. Firms from Hiring H-1B Workers to Outsourcing of IT Service Needs Under Increasing/Predicted Hostile Environment Against H-1B Visas

12/18/2008: Federal Register Release 12/18/2008 of H-2A Reengineering Final Rules of Relevant DHS and DOL Agencies

12/17/2008: President Issues Executive Order Giving Extra Holiday on 12/26/2008

12/17/2008: Advance Copy of USCIS Notice of Identification of Foreign Countries Whose Nationals Are Eligible to Participate in the H-2A Visa Program

12/17/2008: Advance Copy of Wage and Hour Division of DOL on Final Rule on Temporary Agricultural Employment of H-2A Aliens in the United States; Modernizing the Labor Certification Process and Enforcement

12/17/2008: Advance Copy of USICE Notice of H-2A Petitioner's Employment-Related or Fee-Related Notification

12/17/2008: Advance Copy of USCBP Notice of H-2A Petitioner's Employment-Related or Fee-Related Notification

12/17/2008: Advance Copy of USCBP Notice of H-2A Temporary Worker Visa Exit Program Pilot

12/17/2008: Advance Copy of USCIS H-2A Final Rule Scheduled to be Published in the Federal Register Tomorrow, 12/18/2008

12/17/2008: Advance Copy of H-2A Final Rule Scheduled to be Published in the Federal Register Tomorrow, 12/18/2008

12/17/2008: State Department Officially Withdrew as of Today its Published Proposed Regulation to Change Exchange Visitor Program

12/17/2008: USCIS Officially Published in Federal Register Today I-9 Documentary Requirement Change to Take Effect on 02/01/2009

12/17/2008: Importance of O*Net in Foreign Labor Certification Process and Tools and Technology Feedback to Suggest Changes or Improvement

12/16/2008: State Department Withdraws the Proposed Amendment to Exchange Visitor Program Dated 12/10/2008

12/16/2008: Employers, Beware: Effective 02/01/2009, DHS Will Require New I-9 Form and Other Changes in Documents Acceptable for Employment Eligibility Verification

12/16/2008: USCIS Updates H-2B Cap Count as of 12/12/2008

12/15/2008: TPS Salvadoran EAD Automatic 6-Month Extension Notice Published in Federal Register Today

12/14/2008: OMB Clears Both USCIS and DOL H-2B Reengineering Final Rules

12/13/2008: Out of Three Immigration-Related Leaders in DHS, Two Heads Have Left the Political Posts

12/13/2008: Recent Seven-Country Visa Waiver Program Expansion by DHS Reportedly Under Fire in Congress

12/12/2008: USCIS Announcement and Q&A of Revision of I-9 Form

12/12/2008: USCIS H-2A Reportedly Scheduled to be Published in Federal Register on 12/18/2008 with the Effective Date of 01/19/2009

12/12/2008: TPS Salvadoran EAD Automatic Extension for Six Months from March 10, 2009 to September 9, 2009

12/12/2008: USCIS Memorandum Recognizes “Taiwan” as Country of Former Nationality on Certificates of Naturalization or as Country of Birth on Certificates of Citizenship

12/12/2008: EOIR Rule Due to Publish - Voluntary Departure and Effect of a Motion to Reopen of Reconsider or a Petition for Review

12/12/2008: USCIS Justification Statement for H-2A Reengineering

12/12/2008: T & U Visa Holder Green Card Application Interim Rule Published in Federal Register This Morning With Effective Date of 01/12/2009

12/12/2008: Auto Bailout Bill Died in Senate

12/12/2008: State Department Advisory of 12/11/2008 for Land and Sea Border Travelers: Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative Deadline Approaches

12/11/2008: USCIS Q&A on Changes in H-2A Program

12/11/2008: USCIS Finalizes Streamlining Procedures for H-2A Program

12/11/2008: OFLC Special Announcement on Some Changes to the Recently Released Advance Copy in the Upcoming Federal Register

12/11/2008: Electronization of USCIS Processing Continues to be Hurdle for USCIS Efficient Services for Customers

12/11/2008: DHS is Scheduled to Publish T & U Visa Holder Permanent Residence Application Regulation Tomorrow

12/11/2008: U.S. Customs & Border Protrection (CBP) Notice of Proposed Complaint Management System

12/11/2008: Permanent Labor Certification Applications Still Clogged Since June 2008

12/11/2008: House Goes Back to the Year-End Recess After Passing 14 Billion Dollar Auto Industry Bail Out Bill

12/11/2008: OMB Clears USCIS H-2A Reengineering Rule Yesterday

12/11/2008: USCIS Questions and Answers: Qualifying Family Members of U Visa Beneficiaries May Obtain Lawful Permanent Residence

12/10/2008: Schedule A Nurse Immigration Proceeding: CIS Ombudsman Reivew and Recommendation of 12/05/2008 to Process Expeditiously

12/10/2008: Official January 2009 Visa Bulletin

12/10/2008: State Department Proposed Rule on Change to Exchange Visitors Program Published in the Federal Register

12/10/2008: USCIS Releases Special Immigration Benefits Q & A for U.S. Military Family Member as of 12/09/2008

12/09/2008: January 2009 Visa Bulletin (Unofficial)

12/09/2008: Department of State Proposed Site Visit and Criminal Background Check of ROs for Exchange Visitor Sponsors

12/08/2008: USCIS Releases Revised I-360 Form of 11/26/2008 Version with Religious Worker Petitioner Attestation Section

12/08/2008: State Department Expanded Visa Services at Embassy Baghdad

12/08/2008: H-2B H-2B Cap Count as of 12/05/2008

12/08/2008: Government Attempt to End Litigation and Accelerate Implementation of No-Match Letter Rule Defeated in Court

12/08/2008: T and U Nonimmigrants and I-485 Green Card Application Requirement and Procedures

12/08/2008: House Returns to Session Tomorrow, 12/09/2008 11:00 a.m.

12/08/2008: USCIS Corrects Recent Religious Worker Revised Regulation

12/08/2008: DHS is Expected to Release Revised I-9 Form and Changed Documentation List Soon

12/08/2008: OMB Cleared DOL H-2A Reengineering Final Rule But Yet to Clear Matching USCIS H-2A Interim Final Rule

12/06/2008: Obama Transition Team Seeks Your Ideas for the New Administration Immigration Agenda

12/05/2008: Office of Foreign Labor Certification Notice of Temporary Extension of LCA Form Extension That Was Due to Expired on 11/30/2008 Pending OMB Approval of Extension Form

12/05/2008: Circumstances Permitting Use of Certified ETA 750 or ETA 9089 Permanent Labor Certification Application for New or Revised I-140 Petition After Expiration of Permanent Application

12/05/2008: USCIS Released Revised I-129R Form Incorporating Attestation and Other Sections

12/04/2008: IT Jobs Reportedly Drops Sharply

12/04/2008: Vacuum in USCIS Release of Policy and Procedural Memorandum for Consecutive Two Months

12/04/2008: FY 2009 Second Half H-2B Cap Count As of December 1, 2008

12/04/2008: USCIS Adopts and Requires Use of Unique Mailstop and Zip Codes for Mail Delivery to National Capital Region Offices

12/03/2008: USCIS Confirms Michael Aytes, Acting Deputy Director, as the Highest Officer in the USCIS

12/03/2008: Reportedly Obama's DHS Pick May Find Support for Raising H-1B Cap at Confirmation Hearing

12/03/2008: State Department Cables to Visa Posts on Nonminister Special Immigrant Program Extension & Changes to Nonimmigrant Religious Worker Program

12/03/2008: Employers, List of Acceptable Documents for I-9 is Likely to Change Soon

12/03/2008: Office of Foreign Labor Certification is Scheduling Briefings for the Upcoming Re-Engineered H-2A Certification Program

12/03/2008: Mr. Jonathan Jock Scharfen, Acting USCIS Director Resigned as of Yesterday

11/27/2008: Approaching Deadline of DV-2010 Immigration Lottery

11/26/2008: USCIS Offices Closed Tomorrow, Thanksgiving Day Holiday

11/26/2008: USCIS National Stakeholder Meeting Q&A of November 13, 2008

11/26/2008: State Department Cable to Visa Posts on CDC Update of Medical Examinations for Alien

11/26/2008: Religious Worker New Regulation Published in the Federal Register Today and Took Effect

11/25/2008: USCIS Releases FY 2009 Second Half H-2B Cap Count as of 11/21/2008

11/25/2008: Thanksgiving Day Gift? Religious Worker Final Rule Will Be At Last Published Tomorrow in Federal Register!

11/24/2008: Honduran/Nicaraguan TPS Registration Extension Rule Published Today

11/24/2008: Fall 2008 Rule-Making Agenda of DHS, DOL, DOS

11/22/2008: USCIS Announcement of Imminent Release of the Religious Worker Final Rule in Federal Register

11/22/2008: USCIS Releases Advance Copy of Final Rule of Religous Worker Regulation

11/22/2008: USCIS Releases Q&A of Religious Worker Regulation Final Rule

11/22/2008: USCIS Releases Fact Sheet of Religious Worker Regulation Final Rule

11/22/2008: Likely Next DHS Secretary in Obama Administration an Advocate of High-Tech Foreign Worker Immigration

11/21/2008: USCIS Announcement on Temporary Protected Status Re-Registration Period Extended for Honduran and Nicaraguan Nationals

11/21/2008: USCIS Will Extend Re-Registration Period and Automatic Extension of Nicaraguan TPS

11/21/2008: USCIS Will Extend Re-Registration Period and Automatic Extension of Honduran TPS

11/20/2008: After All, Lame-Duck Session is Likely to End This Week as Initially Scheduled!

11/20/2008: Non-Minister Religious Workers Awaiting Release of Amended Regulation

11/20/2008: USCIS Announces Awards of Contracts for Training Services for its Newly Hired Employees

11/20/2008: GAO Rule-Making Resources and Recommendations for Transition Team - H-1B Program

11/19/2008: Well, Senate Failed to Vote Auto-Bailout Bill Resulting in Extended Lame-Duck Session Beyond the End of This Week

11/19/2008: Increase in Student and Exchange Visitor Visa Issuances

11/19/2008: OFLC Notice of Continuing Difficulty Experienced in PERM Online Filing System

11/19/2008: Proposed Revision of Form G-28

11/18/2008: USCIS Releases the Goal of Processing Times for Each Type of Petitions or Applications by 09/30/2009

11/18/2008: USCIS Releases Today Processing Times as of 09/30/2008

11/18/2008: Sen. Reid Introduced Automobile Industry Bail-Out Bill Yesterday

11/18/2008: House Scheduled to Open Lame-Duck Session at 1:00 P.M. Tomorrow, 11/19/2008

11/17/2008: DHS Updates Visa Waiver Program Guidance Reflecting New Seven Countries, Admission Requirement and Procedure

11/17/2008: Congress Returns This Week for Lame-Duck Session

11/17/2008: Seven New Visa Waiver Program Countries Effective Today, Official Notice, and Visa Posts Announcements

11/15/2008: Nose-Diving Economy, Shrinking Businesses, PERM Processing Delays, I-140 Processing Delays, and Risk on I-140 Approvals

11/14/2008: OFLC Notice on Recent Problems in PERM Online Filing

11/14/2008: Official Designation of Seven New Visa Waiver Program Countries on Monday

11/13/2008: USCIS Announces That Federal Contractors Need E-Verify

11/13/2008: FAQ on Requirement of E-Verify for Federal Contractors

11/13/2008: ESTA Mandatory 01/12/2009 Notice Published in Federal Register

11/13/2008: H-1B Labor Condition Application Filing Changes on 01/01/2009 and Delays in Certifications

11/13/2008: Ongoing Economic Crisis, Lay-Offs, Business Down-Sizing, and its Impact on Foreign Labor Certification Applications

11/12/2008: PERM Processing Times in October 2008

11/12/2008: OFLC Intends to Post Online PERM Processing Times as Planned

11/12/2008: Advance Copy of Mandatory Requirement of ESTA for VWP Travelers Effective 01/12/2009

11/10/2008: Reported Technical Problems in PERM Online Filing

11/10/2008: Naturalization Processing Times of Each USCIS Field Office as of 09/30/2008

11/10/2008: Veterans Day - Federal Holidy

11/09/2008: Statistical Monthly and Annual Report of Receipts and Pending Naturalization Applications in September 2008 and 2007

11/09/2008: Statistical Monthly and Annual Report of Receipts and Pending Immigration Benefit Applications in September 2008 and 2007

11/09/2008: IBM Mission of Designing Electronic Immigration Benefits Processing System and Need for Organizational Restructure in Parallel

11/09/2008: DHS is Scheduled to Formally Admit Seven Countries to VWP on November 17, 2008

11/08/2008: Traveling on Advance Parole and CBP Procedure for Admission at the Airport

11/08/2008: USCIS Releases on 11/07/2008 the Q&A of its Meeting with AILA on 10/28/2008 as Part of Stakeholder Meeting Information

11/08/2008: USCIS Petitions and Applications Backlog as of 09/30/2008

11/08/2008: USCIS Petitions and Applications Receipts in September 2008

11/07/2008: December 2008 Official Visa Bulletin

11/07/2008: Sorry, Non-Minister I-360 and I-485 Filing Waiters, No Good News Yet Until Next Tuesday or Thereafter

11/07/2008: Obama President Elect Immigration Agenda

11/07/2008: Naturalization Process For The Military - Requirement, Procedures, and Processing Statistics

11/07/2008: Massive Overhaul of Immigration Services Planned

11/06/2008: Reminder - PERM Online Filing System Down Tomorrow All Day from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

11/06/2008: USCIS Released Revised Form N-648, Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions

11/06/2008: Fact Sheet: USCIS Makes Major Strides During 2008 

11/06/2008: USCIS Reports its Achievements in FY 2008 and its Backlog Reduction Goals in FY 2009

11/06/2008: Fragomen Lawsuit Stipulation of Settlement and Order Reportedly Signed by the Court

11/06/2008: Chief of Immigration Enforcement to Resign as of 11/15/2008

11/06/2008: Congress May Return for Lame-Duck Session in the Week of November 16, 2008

11/06/2008: Outsourcing Industry Assessment of Impact of Obama Presidency and Landslide Democrat Win in Congressional Election on Outsourcing

11/05/2008: OFLC Launch of Centralized Electronic Mailbox for H-2A Amendments and Extensions

11/05/2008: Dawn of New Day in America: Time to Build One Nation and One World

11/05/2008: Good News for Non-Religious Worker Immigrants

11/04/2008: Visa Application for Third Country Nationals (TCN) Available for Certain Nonimmigrants in the United States

11/04/2008: Did You Hear Sen. Joe Biden Speech Yesterday About Upcoming Lame-Duck Session of Congress?

11/04/2008: Oh, Boy, Religious Worker Special Immigration Regulation Still Trapped!

11/03/2008: CRS Warns of Potential Developments During Period of Presidential Transition Between National Election and January 20 of New Year (Lame-Duck Regime)

11/03/2008: Immigration Bulletin Reports Lawsuit Settlement Between Fragoman Lawfirm and DOL

11/03/2008: DHS Signs Visa Waiver Program Interim Declaration with Romania

11/02/2008: State Department Notice of U.S. Passport Security Breach, Potential Identity Theft, and Remedy Offered by the State Department

10/31/2008: PERM Filing Alert for IT Occupations and Certain Professional Occupations

10/31/2008: IT Firm Settles With DOL to Pay $1.7 Million Backwage Payment to H-1B Workers

10/29/2008: USCIS Issues TPS Registration Reminder to Eligible Hondurans, Nicaraguans and Salvadorans

10/29/2008: USICE Temporary Suspension of OPT 180 Day Job for Foreign Students

10/29/2008: State Department Notice for Travelers of Seven Expanded VWP Countries

10/28/2008: Foreign Labor Certification Program FY 2008 Third Quarter Performance Report

10/28/2008: DHS Website Statement on Current Move on Immigration Policy on Employment-Based Immigration

10/28/2008: Non-Minister Religious Worker Amendment Regulation Still in Limbo

10/27/2008: PERM Processing Date by Priority Date

10/27/2008: PERM Pending Cases as of 09/30/2008

10/27/2008: PERM Application Statistics (10/01/2007-09/30/2008)

10/27/2008: DOL Notice of PERM System Outage on November 7, 2008 from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., EST

10/27/2008: New PERM ETA 9089 Starting Date Delayed from 01/01/2009 to Late Spring 2009

10/27/2008: Two Important Developments for Employers Receiving No-Match Letters

10/27/2008: DOL Notable Results Summary in Foreign Labor Certification Program

10/25/2008: USCIS Monthly Processing Time Report and Fallacy of Telephonical Inquiry Available Solely Based on the Receipt Date of I-485

10/24/2008: USCIS Monthly Newsletter of October 2008

10/24/2008: DHS Secretary Releases Timeline for Starting Date of Visa Waiver Entries for the Seven Expanded VWP Countries

10/24/2008: AAO Processing Times 10/24/2008

I – 140 EB1(A
I – 140 EB1(Aetition for Religious Worker: 9 Months
I – 360 VAWA Violence Against Women Act Petition: 15 Months
I – 360 J Special Immigrant Juvenile: Current
N – 470 Application to Preserve Residence: Current
N – 565 Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document: Current
N – 600 Certificate of Citizenship: Current
N – 643 Certificate of Citizenship for Adopted Child: Current
I – 600 Petition for Orphan: Current
I – 485 Cuban Adjustment Certification: Current
I – 612 Application for Waiver: Current
I – 821 Temporary Protected Status: Current
I – 212 Application to Reapply for Admission: 11 Months
I – 601 Application for Waiver of Inadmissibility: 26 Months
I – 131 Application for Travel Document: Current
I – 485 LIFE Act Adjustment Application: 14 Months
I--485 Cuban and Section 13 Adjustment: Current
I – 905 Application to Issue Cert for Health Care Workers: Current
I – 914 Application for T Nonimmigrant Status: Current

[Courtesy of AILA]

10/24/2008: Reminder: New Fees Take Effect Next Monday, 10/27/2008, for Foreign Students, Exchange Visitors, and Schools Sponsoring Foreign Students

10/23/2008: DHS Releases Advance Copy of No-Match Letter Final Rule

10/23/2008: Increasing Customer Reports of Denial of AC-21 Ported I-485 Applications Without NOID by USCIS Upon Petitioner's Withdrawal of Approved I-140 Petitions

10/23/2008: USCIS National Stakeholder Meeting Report of 09/30/2008 as Revised on 10/21/2008

10/23/2008: USCIS Delays 800 Call Service Inquiry or Request Timeline

10/23/2008: Non-Minister Religious Workers, Are You Anxiously Waiting for Adjudication of Your Cases? Here is Your Surprise!

10/22/2008: Three-Year TN Update

10/22/2008: Will There be a Lame Duck Session of Congress After the Election?

10/22/2008: Non-Minister Religious Worker Special Immigration Under Siege Owing to Delay in OMB Completion of USCIS Final Rule for Changes to Existing Rules

10/22/2008: Processing of New Three-Year TN Admisssion for Canadian and Mexical Professionals at Border Ports of Entry in Normal Operation

10/22/2008: OMB Approved Yesterday USCIS Interim Final Rule on I-485 for Aliens in T and U Nonimmigrant Status

10/22/2008: The Final Rule for Changes to H-2B Program Under OMB Review

10/21/2008: 29-Month OPT Program Update

10/20/2008: USCIS' September 30, 2008 Response to the Ombudsman's 2008 Annual Report to Congress

10/20/2008: USCIS October 19, 2008 Report of Processing Times as of August 31, 2008

10/19/2008: Challenges for Non-Minister Religious Worker Special Immigration Program Ahead

10/18/2008: Reform for "New Immigration System" vs Relief From Injustice of Wasted Visa Numbers/Immigration Opportunities Within "Existing Immigration System"

10/17/2008: Three-Year NAFTA TN Visa Program in Low Key in Websites of Visa Posts and USCBP

10/17/2008: Important Visa Waiver Program Expansion Update

10/17/2008: I-140 Delays and USCIS Answers to Discrepancy in Processing Times Between Stand-alone I-140 and Concurrent Filing Cases

10/17/2008: USCIS Statement on Religious Worker Special Immigration Case Status

10/17/2008: USCIS Questions and Answers in National Stakeholder Meeting of 09/30/2008

10/16/2008: SEVIS Quarterly Report, October 2008

10/16/2008: Vietnamese Adoption Will Not Resume Without a New Bilateral Agreement

10/16/2008: Congressional Hispanic Caucus CHC) and Immigration Task Force Priorities

10/16/2008: President Signed into Law House Resolution on New 111th Congress Session

10/16/2008: ESTA Web Site Available in 13 Additional Languages

10/16/2008: Federal Register Release of Three-Year TN Visa Final Rule for Canadian & Mexican Professionals

10/15/2008: Advance Copy of Three-Year TN Visa Program Final Rule

10/15/2008: Canadian and Mexican Professionals, Here Are Your Long-Awaited USCIS Announcement of New Three-Year TN Visa Program and Frequently Asked Questions

10/14/2008: Official November 2008 Visa Bulletin

10/14/2008: Confusion on I-765 EAD Application Form Expiration Date

10/13/2008: November 2008 Unofficial Visa Bulletin

10/13/2008: Status of Non-Minister Religious Worker Special Immigration Law Reauthorization Bill, S.3606 [Correction]

10/13/2008: USCIS Statistics on Applications and Petitions for Immigration Benefits in August 2008

10/13/2008: USCIS Statistics on Naturalization Applications in August 2008

10/11/2008: Bush Announces Today Removing North Korea from a list of State Sponsors of Terrorism

10/11/2008: USCIS Opened a New Full-Service "Field Office" Facility in Orlando, Florida on 10/10/2008

10/11/2008: USCIS Reportedly Weighs H-1B Reform Against Frauds and Technical Violations

10/10/2008: President Signed into Law Conrad 30 Program Reauthorization Act on 10/08/2008

10/10/2008: President Signed into Law S.3606, Non-Minister Religious Worker Special Immigration Reauthorization Bill.

10/10/2008: All USCIS Offices Will Remain Closed on Monday, Columbus Day

10/10/2008: Here is USCIS Federal Register Notice of Delay of N-400 Direct Lock Box Filing Procedure

10/10/2008: USCIS H-1B Fraud Report Leads H-1B to Political Hot Spot

10/10/2008: DOL's Requirement for Consideration Rule in PERM Recruitment Under 08/29/2008 Restatement in Full Swing

10/09/2008: USCIS 09/30/2008 Responses to CIS Ombusman's FY 2008 Recommendations

10/09/2008: USCIS Official Announcement to Delay Implementation of Direct Mail Program for N-400

10/09/2009: H-1B Benefit Fraud and Compliance Assessment Report of USCIS, September 2008

10/09/2009: President Signed Into Law Today Military Personnel Citizenship Processing Act, S.2840

10/09/2009: USCIS Scheduled to Withdraw Tomorrow Its 09/12/2008 Notice of Revision of Direct Filing Jurisdictions

10/09/2009: Closely-Kept Information on FY 2008 Employment-Based Visa Number Exhaustion Timing

10/09/2009: Estonia and Slovak One Step Closer to the Expanded Visa Waiver Program List Countries

10/08/2008: I-140 Processing in Four Months by April 2009?

10/07/2008: FY 2009 Refugee Admissions Numbers And Authorizations of In-country Refugee Status

10/05/2008: DOL FY 2006-FY 2011 Goal of Processing Times for PERM and Temporary Labor Certification Applications

10/05/2008: Conrad 30 IMG NIW Program Reauthorization Extension Bill, H.R. 5571, Presented to the President for His Signature into Law on 09/30/2008

10/05/2008: DV-2010 Lottery Instructions (10/02/2008 - 12/01/2008)

10/05/2008: House Adjourned Until Reconvened on January 3, 2009

10/04/2008: EAD Backlog and Advisory for I-485 Waiters and Employers

10/04/2008: New Receipts of Petitions/Applications by USCIS in August 2008

10/04/2008: USCIS Petitions/Applications Backlog on 08/31/2008

10/03/2008: OFLC Revised PERM Debarment List Removing Employers Other than LawLogix

10/03/2008: President Signed Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 H.R. 1424 (Bailout Bill) Into Law

10/03/2008: USCIS Delays in EAD Processing and Ombudsman Recommendation

10/03/2008: House Passed the "Bail-Out" Bill and the Congress is Now Likely to Go Into Recess

10/03/2008: Non-Minister Special Immigration Law Reauthorization Bill, S. 3606, Presented to the President for His Signature

10/02/2008: Twelve-Month Intern Work and Travel Pilot Program for Irish Students or Young People

10/02/2008: Today USCIS Releases Fact Sheet:"Overseas Naturalization Eligibility for Certain Children of U.S. Armed Forces Members"

10/02/2008: Today USCIS Releases Fact Sheet: "Requirements for Naturalization Abroad by Spouses of Members of the U.S. Armed Forces"

10/02/2008: Full Text of Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 Which the Senate Passed on 10/01/2008, H.R. 1424.EAS

10/02/2008: Congress Currently Undertaking Passage of Pending Bills en Masse!!

10/02/2008: President Bush Nominated Mr. Jonathan Scharten to be USCIS Director

10/01/2008: Official Federal Register Notices of TPS Extension

10/01/2008: Registration Requirement in Effect for H-1B, H-1B1, and E-3 Labor Condition Application Filing From Today

10/01/2008: Yesterday President Signs H.R. 2638 Consolidated Continuing Appropriation Legislation

10/01/2008: Federal Register Notice of DV-2010 Immigration Lottery

For Pre-October 1, 2008 Breaking News, please click here.