Immigration Insights & Issues Blog
Key legal insights into modern immigration challenges.
On December 2, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released a significant new policy memorandum PM-602-0192, titled “Hold and Review of all Pending Asylum Applications and all USCIS Benefit Applications Filed by Aliens from High-Risk Countries.” The memorandum implements one of the most far-reaching adjudication holds in recent years and directs immediate, agency-wide changes …
Continue reading “Important Updates in the New DHS Entry Suspension Memo”
On April 1, 2024, the new U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) fee schedule took effect. The fee schedule has been modified since publication, which can make determining the appropriate fee challenging. Please refer to our previous blog post regarding the key takeaways from the final rule implementing these fee increases. The new rule increases …
Continue reading “Employer Economics: Cost-Saving Strategies for Adjustment of Status Filings”
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) continues to keep spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens in suspense regarding the process and requirements for filings that may be made on Monday, August 19, 2024, for qualifying applicants for the new Parole-in-Place (PIP) program to seek legal permanent residence (LPR) while remaining in the United States (U.S.) …
The Final Rule published by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) adjusting certain immigration and naturalization benefit request fees went into effect on April 1, 2024. This Final Rule included the first new Fee Schedule since 2016, and there were significant changes to the pre-existing Fee Schedule. On April 29, 2024, USCIS published a …
Continue reading “USCIS Fee Rule Update: Avoiding Filing Rejections”
The I-94 record, which determines the validity of a nonimmigrant’s status, often presents challenges that are not expected by the foreign national or their employer. Unfortunately, the failure to be aware of the validity period of the I-94 can cause all sorts of serious problems. For example, some of the consequences can be: The accrual …
Continue reading “The Stealth I-94 Dilemma – Determining Work Authorization Validity”
In February 2024, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) launched its new online Organizational Account, which allows for the online filing of H-1B petitions and enhances collaboration between clients and legal representatives. The Organizational Account automatically upgraded the legacy USCIS account, and pre-existing users will see their new Organizational Account the first time they …
Continue reading “Introducing USCIS’s New Online Organizational Account”
On January 31, 2024, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a Final Rule to announce new filing fees for immigration and naturalization benefit requests. The rule is set to take effect on April 1, 2024. As a predominantly fee-funded agency, USCIS justifies the fee increase – the first since December 2016 – as essential …
Continue reading “USCIS Fee Hikes Effective April 1 – 4 Key Takeaways for Employers”
Employers continue to face compliance challenges in determining whether a new hire is work authorized for Form I-9 purposes, given the dynamic changes in immigration policy and regulation. For instance, this year alone, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has posted significant updates on the Form I-9 Central news page, including: The increase of the …
On November 3, 2023, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (“D.H.S.”) with support of the Department of Labor (“D.O.L.”) announced that it expects to make available an additional 64,716 H-2B temporary nonagricultural visas for Fiscal Year (F.Y.) 2024. This increase is in addition to the existing mandated 66,000 H-2B visas that are allotted each F.Y. …
Continue reading “65,000 More Reasons to Get Ready: Essential H-2B Filing Strategies for FY2024”
On June 14, 2023, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued updated policy guidance to address eligibility criteria and standards for employment authorization involving compelling circumstances. Such policy guidance is welcome news for the small contingent of individuals eligible for “compelling circumstances” (C35) employment authorization documents (EADs), as previously strict standards for C35 EADs translated …