U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has posted its October visa bulletin. Paired with forthcoming changes at USCIS, an expanded application of the public charge rule, the visa bulletin contains crucial information for individuals from India seeking...
USCIS Fee Hikes Enjoined Nationwide and Will Not Take Effect on October 2, 2020
The United States District Court for the Northern District of California has enjoined enforcement of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) rule that would have raised existing filing fees, introduced new ones, and changed the fee waiver process. The...
New USCIS discretionary standard adds uncertainty to, could delay green card applications
Updates to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Policy Manual will change the review of applications for adjustment of status, more commonly known as green card applications. Under the new guidance to adjudicating officers at the USCIS, discretionary...
USCIS Staff Furlough Likely to Delay Processing at National Benefit Center
800 contracted staff at the National Benefit Center (NBC) would be placed on furlough if a new United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) plan is implemented. Currently, the NBC uses 1,300 such contractors, illustrating the magnitude of the furlough....
Federal Lawsuit in California against USCIS’ Proposed Fees Increase
A group of non-profit organizations are suing the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in federal district court in California over the agencies’ proposed rule change that massively increases the fees...
Scheduled USCIS Furlough Averted until Sept 30 2020
USCIS announced that it would not go through with its anticipated furloughs on August 30, 2020, preventing roughly 70% of their employees from being furloughed. For months, USCIS has asked Congress for a financial bailout, as USCIS warned them of budgetary shortfalls...
Use of I-797 EAD Approval Notice Is Permitted for I-9 Approval
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented delays in immigration law, particularly for those seeking a new or renewed employment authorization document (EAD). Recently, an Ohio federal court issued a temporary restraining order against the U.S. Citizenship and...
Absent Congressional Aid, Impending USCIS Furloughs Could Cripple U.S. Immigration System
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) agency may furlough nearly two-thirds of its workforce unless Congress can approve much-needed budgetary relief. The agency employs nearly 20,000 workers and could furlough as many as 13,400 workers if...
USCIS’ Public Charge Rule is Back
The public charge rule has been subject to protracted litigation processes. Multiple federal court rulings from different circuits across the country add more confusion to the status of the public charge rule. This blog explains the impacts of a series of courts’...
What is USCIS Public Charge Rule and Why Was It Suspended?
“Public charge” refers to a vaguely defined ground of inadmissibility that could stop someone from either entering the United States or receiving a green card. Essentially, it means that in an immigration case, the government decides that an applicant would likely...