With the Senate under Democratic control, President Joe Biden has unveiled plans to send an immigration reform bill as soon as possible to the Senate, perhaps even on his first day in office. His first actions will include terminating the ban on immigration from Muslim-majority countries and creating a path to citizenship for Dreamers. He’ll also be tasking… Read More
Posts Categorized In: Immigration Law
Large Number of Florida Immigrants May Be Eligible for Green Cards
Last week, a Miami immigration judge released a ruling that made any immigrant released by DHS in Florida without a deportation order eligible to apply for a green card. Specifically, the court ruled that immigrants that were released without deportation orders would be “paroled” as a “matter of law.” Parole was historically how thousands of… Read More
USCIS Backlogs Will Prevent Hundreds of Thousands from Voting in 2020 Election
Our firm has reported on the USCIS backlog crisis repeatedly over the last few years, but now the crisis has reached new heights. Years of policy changes that have made it harder to apply for asylum, visas, TPS, and citizenship have resulted in a stockpile of unprocessed applications that will take years to resolve. There are more… Read More
Undocumented people can now get professional licenses in New Jersey
Governor Phil Murphy has signed a historic bill allowing undocumented people to obtain professional and occupational licensing in our state, as long as they meet certain other requirements. The law allows undocumented immigrants the opportunity to get jobs as accountants, architects, acupuncturists, court reporters, doctors, engineers, social workers, and other careers requiring a license. For… Read More
White House Must Accept New DACA Applications, Judge Says
Less than a month after the Supreme Court denied the Trump administration’s attempt to end the DACA program, a federal judge has secured another victory for young immigrants and immigration advocates. Earlier this month, Judge Paul Grimm of the US District Court for the District of Maryland ruled that the DACA program must be restored… Read More
Trump Suspends Worker Visas Until the End of 2020 by Proclamation
Effective today, the Trump administration has issued a proclamation that suspends the issuing of multiple work visas, including the H-1B, the H-2B, the J, and the L visas. This doesn’t apply to workers currently in the United States or anyone with a nonimmigrant visa who currently resides here. It also includes certain exceptions for individuals who are providing essential labor,… Read More
USCIS Putting 75% of Staff on Furlough
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will be putting 13,400 employees on indefinite furlough this summer. Employees will receive a 30-day “reduction-in-force” (RIF) notice by July 2 for the furlough to begin August 3, but the the USCIS will likely extend the furlough in 30-day increments until Congress approves a $1.2 billion cash injection. As of last week, the Trump… Read More
ICE Hits “Sanctuary Cities” with Increased Surveillance
ICE has begun 24-hour surveillance of undocumented immigrants in ‘sanctuary cities’ in an effort to make arrests where law enforcement agencies are not cooperating with federal immigration enforcement. It plans on sending out hundreds of unmarked cars in the next few weeks, requesting 500 special agents to join the “enhanced arrest” campaign. These 500 agents,… Read More
28 NJ Businesses Face Immigration Services Fraud Charges
This post is informational and Lloyd Bennett Was not involved with this case. The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office accused 28 business of immigration fraud charges in November. Some companies were cited last year for allegedly defrauding customers because they charged for immigration services that can only be performed by an appellate body within the… Read More
DACA Recipients Fight for Right to Travel Outside the U.S.
What Does Advance Parole Mean for DACA Applicants? Last week, students from Southern California flew to Washington, D.C. to bring attention to a little-known provision in immigration law called “advance parole.” Advance parole allows non-citizens to leave the U.S. and re-enter legally. Until the fall of 2017, DACA recipients could get permission to travel out of the… Read More