USCIS Extends Flexibility for Responding to Agency Requests

 In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is extending the flexibilities it announced on March 30, 2020, to assist applicants, petitioners, and requestors who are responding to certain:

• Requests for Evidence;
• Continuations to Request Evidence (N-14);
• Notices of Intent to Deny;
• Notices of Intent to Revoke;
• Notices of Intent to Rescind;
• Notices of Intent to Terminate regional centers; and
• Motions to Reopen an N-400 Pursuant to 8 CFR 335.5, Receipt of Derogatory Information After Grant. Read more at: https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/uscis-extends-flexibility-for-responding-to-agency-requests-0

Contact Darren Heyman, immigration attorney, for more information.

ICE HSI investigation leads to 3 Vietnamese residents permanently enjoined from operating pandemic-related fraud scheme

 TAMPA, Fla. – A federal court in Florida permanently enjoined on Friday three residents of Vietnam from operating a pandemic-related scam that targeted American consumers, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced.

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), in coordination with the Vietnam Ministry of Public Security, Department of Foreign Relations and Hanoi Police. After receiving information from American law enforcement, Vietnamese authorities investigated and arrested the defendants on local charges. Read more at: https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ice-hsi-investigation-leads-3-vietnamese-residents-permanently-enjoined-operating

Contact Darren Heyman,
immigration attorney, for more information.

Immigration Help Available to Those Affected by Natural Disasters and Other Unforeseen Circumstances

 USCIS is reminding the public that we offer immigration services that may help people affected by unforeseen circumstances such as natural disasters. Examples of unforeseen circumstances include, but are not limited to, the severe weather in Kentucky and surrounding states.

The following measures may be available on a case-by-case basis upon request:

• Changing a nonimmigrant status or extending a nonimmigrant stay for an individual currently in the United States. Failure to apply for the extension or change before expiration of your authorized period of admission may be excused if the delay was due to extraordinary circumstances beyond your control;
• Re-parole of individuals previously granted parole by USCIS;
• Expedited processing of advance parole requests;
• Expedited adjudication of requests for off-campus employment authorization for F-1
  students experiencing severe economic hardship;

Read more at: https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/immigration-help-available-to-those-affected-by-natural-disasters-and-other-unforeseen-circumstances

Contact Darren Heyman, immigration attorney, for more information.

For First Time, DHS to Supplement H-2B Cap with Additional Visas in First Half of Fiscal Year

 WASHINGTON—The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Labor (DOL) today announced the forthcoming publication of a joint temporary final rule to make available an additional 20,000 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas for fiscal year (FY) 2022. These visas will be set aside for U.S. employers seeking to employ additional workers on or before March 31, 2022.

This supplemental cap marks the first time that DHS is making additional H-2B visas available in the first half of the fiscal year. Earlier this year, USCIS received enough petitions for returning workers to reach the additional 22,000 H-2B visas made available under the FY 2021 H-2B supplemental visa temporary final rule. Read more at: https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/for-first-time-dhs-to-supplement-h-2b-cap-with-additional-visas-in-first-half-of-fiscal-year

Contact Darren Heyman, immigration attorney, for more information.

DHS Withdraws H-1B Selection Final Rule

 The Department of Homeland Security has published a final rule that withdraws the Modification of Registration Requirement for Petitioners Seeking to File Cap-Subject H-1B Petitions final rule, also known as the H-1B Selection Final Rule, issued Jan. 8, 2021. That rule was vacated by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

Read more at: https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/dhs-withdraws-h-1b-selection-final-rule

Contact Darren Heyman, immigration attorney, for more information.