Re-Registration Period Now Open for Aliens with TPS under Somalia’s Designation

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced that current beneficiaries of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) under Somalia’s designation who want to maintain their status through Sept. 17, 2021, must re-register between March 11, 2020 and May 11, 2020.

Re-registration procedures, including how to renew employment authorization documents (EADs), have been published in the Federal Register and are available at uscis.gov/tps.

All applicants must submit Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status. Applicants may also request an EAD by submitting Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, when they file Form I-821 or separately at a later date. Like all USCIS forms, both forms are free for download from the USCIS website at uscis.gov/forms. Read more at: https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/re-registration-period-now-open-aliens-tps-under-somalias-designation

Contact Darren Heyman, immigration attorney, for more information www.greencardadvice.com.

ICE ERO Phoenix removes Salvadoran national wanted for murder

PHOENIX — On Wednesday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) removed Salvadoran national Jonathan Alexander Mejia-Santos, 31, to El Salvador. Mejia-Santos is wanted by law enforcement officials in his home country for allegedly participating in a murder related to gang activity. Once in El Salvador, ICE ERO transferred custody to the Policia Nacional Civil (PNC) of El Salvador.

On Dec.12, 2018, the U.S. Border Patrol arrested Mejia-Santos, after he illegally entered the U.S. near Lukeville, Arizona and placed him in removal proceedings.

On Aug. 27, a federal immigration judge with the Executive Office for Immigration Review ordered him removed from the U.S. to El Salvador. Mejia-Santos appealed this decision to the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA); however the BIA dismissed his appeal and upheld the immigration judge’s decision Jan. 31. Read more at: https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ice-ero-phoenix-removes-salvadoran-national-wanted-murder

Contact Darren Heyman, immigration attorney, for more information www.greencardadvice.com.

USCIS Publishes Federal Register Notices Announcing H-2A and H-2B Petitions Must Include Printed Copy of Electronic Final Determination Form

On March 5, 2020, USCIS published two Federal Register notices regarding the submission of final determination forms with H-2A and H-2B petitions. The notices, one for H-2A and one for H-2B, announce that petitioners must submit a printed copy of the electronic final determination form granting temporary labor certification (TLC) under the H-2A or H-2B programs through the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Foreign Labor Application Gateway (FLAG) system with the corresponding H-2A or H-2B petition as evidence of an original valid or original approved TLC. Read more at: https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/uscis-publishes-federal-register-notices-announcing-h-2a-and-h-2b-petitions-must-include-printed-copy-electronic-final-determination-form

Contact Darren Heyman, immigration attorney, for more information www.greencardadvice.com.

USCIS Launches New Online Form for Reporting Fraud

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today launched a new online tip form to help the public provide the agency with information about immigration fraud. The new online form, available on the USCIS public website, prompts the form user for the information that the USCIS’ fraud investigators need to investigate allegations of immigration benefit fraud or abuse.

“Safeguarding the integrity of our immigration system is top priority for the Trump administration and is central to the agency’s mission,” said Joseph Edlow, the USCIS deputy director for policy. “One way we protect our immigration system is by making it easy for the public to report immigration fraud and abuse. This new online tip form makes fraud reporting more efficient and robust, provides our agency with the information needed to investigate and address abuse of the system, and will help assist our federal partners in prosecuting immigration fraud.” Read more at: https://www.uscis.gov/news/news-releases/uscis-launches-new-online-form-reporting-fraud

Contact Darren Heyman, immigration attorney, for more information www.greencardadvice.com.

ICE subpoenas information requested under California sanctuary policies

CE uses longstanding legal authority to demand information regarding criminal aliens

SAN DIEGO – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) served four immigration subpoenas Friday on the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office (SDSO) requesting information about multiple illegal aliens who were criminally arrested in San Diego, yet under California’s sanctuary state laws, the SDSO cannot honor immigration detainers or provide ICE non-public information about the criminal aliens to include notifying ICE if a criminal alien has been released back into the community.

Issuance of these immigration subpoenas is necessary because the SDSO is forced to comply with California’s sanctuary state laws, and therefore cannot cooperate in honoring immigration detainers or requests for non-public information to assist in locating criminal aliens that have been or will be released from custody. Read more at: https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ice-subpoenas-information-requested-under-california-sanctuary-policies

Contact Darren Heyman, immigration attorney, for more information www.greencardadvice.com.

USCIS Supports Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation

Feb. 6 is designated as the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation. In support of this important issue, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) joins other U.S. government agencies and the international community in calling for an end to the practice of female genital mutilation or cutting (FGM/C).   

FGM/C is the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for no medical reason. The practice has no medical benefit. It is a human rights violation and a crime under federal law. When committed against children, it is a form of child abuse. The U.S. government opposes FGM/C no matter the type, severity, or motivation for performing it. People who commit this crime can face prison time and significant immigration consequences. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates approximately 500,000 girls in the United States are at risk of having or have had FGM/C performed on them.  Read more at: https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/uscis-supports-zero-tolerance-female-genital-mutilation

Contact Darren Heyman, immigration attorney, for more information www.greencardadvice.com.

Texas company to pay $3 million after investigation reveals hiring illegal aliens

DALLAS – A North Texas construction company will pay the U.S. government $3 million for its role in a scheme to illegally employ illegal aliens.

This agreement was reached following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Five individuals have already pleaded guilty in connection with the scheme.

In a non-prosecution agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Speed Fab Crete, a Texas-based builder, admitted it illegally employed individuals not authorized to work in the United States, and agreed to forfeit $3 million to the U.S. Treasury for use in promoting law enforcement activities related to immigration enforcement. Read more at: https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/texas-company-pay-3-million-after-investigation-reveals-hiring-illegal-aliens#wcm-survey-target-id

Contact Darren Heyman, immigration attorney, for more information www.greencardadvice.com.