Department of State Releases February 2015 Visa Bulletin

Cutoff dates in the EB-2 India category advance by six and a half months, cutoff dates in EB-3 for the Rest of the World advance by five months, cutoff dates for China advance by six months, and EB-3 China is still ahead of EB-2 China.

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has released its February 2015 Visa Bulletin. The Visa Bulletin sets out per-country priority date cutoffs that regulate the flow of adjustment of status (AOS) and consular immigrant visa applications. Foreign nationals may file applications to adjust their statuses to that of permanent residents or to obtain approval of immigrant visas at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad, provided that their priority dates are prior to the respective cutoff dates specified by the DOS.

Read more: http://www.natlawreview.com/article/department-state-releases-february-2015-visa-bulletin 

Contact Darren Heyman, immigration attorney Las Vegas, for more information. 

'Winning' the green card lottery is only the start of a harrowing journey

In Somali slang, there is a special word for the daydream of starting a new life in a far-off land: it's known as a bofis. And for millions of refugees across Africa, there is one bofis that people obsess with above all — the idea of moving to the West, and in particular to the US. For most, it remains an impossible dream. But there is one legal way in which even those without wealth or connections can do it: Getting a lucky break in the US' Diversity Visa Program, better known as the green card lottery. In 2013, nearly eight million people applied for just 50,000 winning tickets, which means that for every 1,000 applicants, only six won the chance of a new life.

Read more: http://www.pri.org/stories/2014-12-29/winning-green-card-lottery-only-start-harrowing-journey

Contact Darren Heyman immigration lawyer las vegas, for more information on DV lottery. 

If Courts Halt Immigration Action, Los Angeles Will Keep Going

January 20, 2015 Even if a court decision stops the federal government from moving forward on President Obama's latest executive action on immigration, the city of Los Angeles will keep doing everything it can to help undocumented residents gain legal status.
"We're going to move forward. We can't afford not to," Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said Tuesday at a National Journal event in Washington, D.C., presented with support from Emerson Collectiv. Read more: http://www.nationaljournal.com/next-america/population-2043/if-courts-halt-immigration-action-los-angeles-will-keep-going-20150120

Contact Darren Heyman, immigration lawyer Las Vegas, for immigration updates.

Do people want to stop Obama’s immigration move? Yes. And no.

Congressional Republicans face a major dilemma in how to respond to President Obama's executive action delaying deportation for millions of undocumented immigrants.
And to complicate that decision, two polls find conflicting results about what the public wants Republicans to do. A new Washington Post-ABC News poll released this week finds a 56 percent majority of Americans say Republicans should block Obama's proposal, while a CBS News poll from last week finds 55 percent saying Congress should "let it stand." Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2015/01/20/do-people-want-to-stop-obamas-immigration-move-yes-and-no/

Contact Darren Heyman, immigration lawyer Las Vegas, for more information.

The state of immigration in America

This column is part of “The State of America,” an msnbc.com series leading up to President Barack Obama’s 2015 State of the Union Address on Tuesday, Jan. 20. This is the state of the issues you care about, as told by organizations promoting social change and other policy experts.
While the GOP’s latest rejection of immigration reform has dominated the headlines in recent weeks, the reality is that the United States is already undergoing a major societal shift as a result of significant Hispanic migration. And 2015 – regardless of Republican opposition – looks to be a tipping point. Consider:

Read more: http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/the-state-immigration-america

Contact Darren Heyman, Immigration lawyer Las Vegas for more information.

Visa waivers could help terrorists enter US, Homeland Security chief says

WASHINGTON — Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson acknowledged concerns Friday that terrorists might use the visa waiver program to enter the United States, and said his department is taking steps to address weaknesses in the program.
Johnson told an aviation industry luncheon that he doesn't want to discard the program, which makes it easier for Americans to travel to friendly countries and for citizens of those countries to travel to the U.S. "It represents an important element of lawful commerce between and among our international partners," he said. Read more: http://www.stripes.com/news/us/visa-waivers-could-help-terrorists-enter-us-homeland-security-chief-says-1.324302

Please contact Darren Heyman, Immigration lawyer Las Vegas, for updates.

House votes to undo Obama immigration policies

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican U.S. House voted Wednesday to overturn President Barack Obama's key immigration policies, approving legislation that would eliminate new deportation protections for millions and expose hundreds of thousands of younger immigrants to expulsion.

The 236-191 vote came on a broad bill that would provide nearly $40 billion to finance the Homeland Security Department through the rest of the budget year.

Democrats accused Republicans of playing politics with national security at a time of heightened threats, and Obama has threatened to veto the legislation. Prospects in the Senate look tough, too. Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/house-takes-broad-aim-obama-immigration-081814535--politics.html 

Ask Darren Heyman, Immigration attorney Las Vegas, about updates on immigration reform.