USCIS announced on June 29, 2020, applications for U Visas and adjustments of status based on those with U Status may have a new filing address. Residents of some states will be filing at the Nebraska Service Center rather than at the Vermont Service Center. USCIS is allowing for a 30-day grace period, after which…
On June 26, 2020, the Department of Homeland Security published a final rule titled “Asylum Application, Interview, and Employment Authorization for Applicants,” 85 Fed. Reg. 38,532. This rule was proposed on November 14, 2019 and received numerous comments. It will become law on August 25, 2020. The most serious changes for asylum applicants will be…
On June 22, 2020, The Trump Administration issued a new travel ban, effective June 24, 2020 at 12:01 AM. The new proclamation expands and modifies the one made on April 22, 2020, which affected a broader group of immigrants. It also adds new sections targeting high-skilled immigrants seeking to enter the US, particularly those in…
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will publish a new final rule on June 22, 2020, effective August 21, 2020, modifying features of the work permit process for asylum seekers. Some of the changes being made include: Eliminating the 30-day timeframe for adjudication of work permit requests for first-time applicants who have pending asylum applications…
In a decision issued by the Supreme Court on June 18, 2020, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that the Trump Administration violated the law when it terminated DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) for hundreds of thousands of immigrants. The decision was based on the Trump Administration’s actions taken in terminating the program, its failure…
The US Government recently announced that MPP hearings were again being delayed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. DHS and EOIR issued a joint statement today explaining that hearings scheduled through July 17, 2020 will be rescheduled, and that they anticipate resuming hearings on July 20, 2020. Individuals should continue to check case status and…
The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) sent an update on May 29, 2020, stating that all immigration court hearings for non-detained individuals are now postponed through June 26, 2020. This means that the courts will reopen for non-detained hearings on June 29, 2020. This new announcement does not apply to the Honolulu Immigration Court,…
US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced on May 26, 2020 that it would begin reopening its public offices. Starting on June 4, 2020 USCIS offices will gradually start to reopen with new procedures and protections against the coronavirus. Most USCIS public offices have been completely closed with rare exceptions only for very urgent cases; however,…
The New York Times reports on May 17, 2020, that US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is asking Congress for emergency funding. The agency plans to recover those funds with a 10% fee surcharge on immigration applications. At this time, it is unclear how soon those fee increases might take effect or whether they will…
On May 10, 2020, the Department of Homeland Security and the Executive Office for Immigration Review announced an additional delay in cases being conducted under the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP). Those cases are held at or near the US-Mexico border and applicants are forced to remain in Mexico while they await their court hearings. Based…
USCIS announced changes to its policy manual on April 24, 2020. These changes relate to “false claims to U.S. Citizenship,” a type of issues that many prevent immigrants from entering the United States or becoming Lawful Permanent Residents. It can also result in removal (deportation) as well as other negative effects. These changes are the…
USCIS announced on April 13, 2020, that a certain level of flexibility will be applied, on a case-by-case basis, in processing changes of status and late applications. It is still important to timely-file if at all possible, but in certain circumstances, such as someone becoming ill and unable to file a request, those requests might…
