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Thursday, July 31, 2003
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) files first-ever legal challenge to the USA PATRIOT Act - 07/31/03
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) today joined a number of other Arab-American and Muslim groups as co-plaintiffs in the first-ever legal challenge to the USA PATRIOT Act. The case focuses on vastly expanded powers under Section 215 for the government to secretly obtain records and personal belongings of people in the United States, including library, internet and medical records. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) will litigate the case. [ more ]
Wednesday, July 30, 2003
Are Informants eligible for a U.S. Immigration Visa? DOS Answers Question on Immigration for Informants - 07/30/03
Rewards for Justice Program
Question: Are informants eligible for U.S. immigration or protection? [ more ]
DHS Announces One-Year Discretionary Waiver of the New Certification Requirements for Certain Non-Immigrant Health Care Workers - 07/30/03
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced today that foreign health care workers who seek temporary admission to the United States will be required to comply with new certification requirements. [ more ]
BCIS Memo Instructs Offices to Expedite Special Immigrant Religious Worker Cases - 07/30/03
In light of the September 30, 2003 sunset deadline for Special Immigrant Religious Workers, the BCIS issued a memorandum to all Service Centers, Regional Offices, and the AAO with instructions to expedite the handling of special immigrant cases, including I-360 petitions, I-485 applications, and related notification to Consulat. [ more ]
BCIS Redesigns the Permit to Reenter and Refugee Travel Document - 07/30/03
The BCIS will begin issuing redesigned Permits to Reenter and Refugee Travel Documents which will look similar to a United States Passport, except that they will have a new light green cover. The inside page of the front cover will note whether the document is a Permit to Reenter or a Refugee Travel Document. Please see attached for questions and answers. [ more ]
Monday, July 28, 2003
USA Jobs Protection Act of 2003 Introduced in House and Senate - 07/28/03
A bill which would substantially alter the L visa and H-1B visa programs. Specifically, the bills would make changes to the L-1 visa program to require employers to file an attestation with the Department of Labor, and make significant changes to the H-1b program. [ more ]
Nuevo Laredo Defendants Sentenced in Visa Fraud Case - 07/28/03
Five individuals, including four former employees of the U.S. Consulate in Nuevo Laredo, were sentenced today in the U.S. District Court in Laredo, Texas for conspiracy to commit visa fraud. [ more ]
Sunday, July 27, 2003
Processing Times Updated - 07/27/03
The processing Times for the Nebraska, California, Vermont Service Center, DOS, and DOL processing times have been updated. [ more ]
Friday, July 25, 2003
Home Land Security Denies Entry to U.S. to Roman Catholic Priest - 07/25/03
The co-founder of HCEF, Father Emil Salayta, a Roman Catholic priest who lives in Rome studying to earn a Doctors Degree in Canon Law was denied entry into the United States by the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services on July 20, 2003 at the Toronto International Airport. He had a valid Jordanian passport and a valid 6 month multiple entry U.S. Visa. Father Emil has visited the United States on at least 20 occasions in the past at the direction of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Msgr. Michel Sabbah. [ more ]
DHS Publishes Final Rule on Certificates for Certain Health Care Workers - 07/25/03
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Published Final Rule on Certificates for Certain Health Care Workers. The final rule adds the certification requirement for all non-immigrants coming to the U.S. primarily to work as health care workers, including change of status cases. The rule also establishes the procedures for authorization to issue the certificates, including an appeals process. The rule is effective on 9/23/03. (68 FR 43901, 7/25/03).
[ more ]
NEW VISA REQUIREMENTS EFFECTIVE FOR TRAVEL ON OR AFTER 10/1/03 - 07/25/03
If you are planning to travel after October 1, 2003, U.S. Immigration will require that each Visa Waiver Program (VWP) citizen present a machine-readable passport at the U.S. port of entry, in order to enter the United States without a visa. Citizens from Visa Waiver countries (listed below*) who do not have a machine-readable passport will be required to obtain a nonimmigrant visa to visit the United States. [ more ]
Thursday, July 24, 2003
DOS Instructs Posts to Prioritize Students and Exchange Visitors When Scheduling NIV Interviews - 07/24/03
The department of State instructs posts that have developed or expect to develop waiting periods for NIV interviews to give priority to students and exchange visitors in the professor, student, and research scholar categories when scheduling interviews this summer. [ more ]
BCIS Clarifies Foreign Equivalency Requirements for U.S. Advanced Degrees - 07/24/03
In a recent written exchange, BCIS clarified what may constitute the foreign equivalent of an advanced degree for purposes of 8 CFR § 204.5(k)(2), confirming, among other things, that receipt of a 3-year bachelor’s degree, followed by completion of a PONSI-recognized post-grad diploma program may be deemed the equivalent of a 4-year U.S. degree. [ more ]
Tuesday, July 22, 2003
BCIS Announces Legal Immigration Figures for FY 2002 - 07/22/03
The Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS) today announced the number of persons who legally immigrated to the United States in Fiscal Year 2002. This total includes new arrivals to the United States who obtained immigrant visas abroad through the Department of State, and persons who were already living in the United States and who became permanent residents by applying for adjustment of status with the INS. [ more ]
Monday, July 21, 2003
L-1 Nonimmigrant Reform Act Introduced - 07/21/03
De Lauro (D-CT) has introduced legislation to place restrictive limits on the L-1 visa, including a 35,000 per year visa cap, DOL attestation requirements and an abolishment of blanket Ls. [ more ]
BCIS Memo Provides Policy Guidance on Naturalization Procedures for Disabled Applicants - 07/21/03
A BCIS memo dated 6/30/2003 provides comprehensive policy guidance on procedures for conducting examinations and waiving the oath of allegiance for naturalization applicants with disabilities. [ more ]
BCIS Issues Updated Press Release on TPS Extension for El Salvador - 07/21/03
The Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS) has issued an updated Press Release regarding the recently announced 18 month extension of temporary protected status (TPS) for El Salvador. The new Release contains information on the re-registration period, as well as information on employment authorization for TPS beneficiaries.
[ more ]
Visa Bulletin for August 2003 - 07/21/03
This bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers for the month of August 2003. Click on Proc. Times menu, then Visa Bulletin to view.
[ more ]
DHS Extends TPS Designation for Somalia - 07/21/03
The Department of Homeland Security has extended Temporary Protected Statis (TPS) designation for Somalia until 9/17/04. The 60-day re-registration period runs from 7/21/03 to 9/19/03. (68 FR 43147, 7/21/03).
[ more ]
State Department Lifts Restrictions on Use of U.S. Passports for Travel to Iraq - 07/21/03
The Department of State has revoked the restriction on the use of U.S. passports for travel to, in or through Iraq set forth in Public Notice 4283 of February 25, 2003 (68 FR 8791), as amended by Public Notice 4337 of April 16, 2003 (68 FR 18722), as further amended by Public Notice 4366 of May 15, 2003 (68 FR 26371), effective July 14, 2003. [ more ]
Monday, July 7, 2003
Changes to the L-1 Visa on the Horizon? - 07/07/03
The L-1 visa, long overshadowed by the popular and more high-profile H-1B visa, has recently been the subject of attention from the technology industry, Congress, and the BCIS. Changes in L-1 regulations may soon become law, and already, there is anecdotal evidence that it has become more difficult to enter the country with an L-1 visa.
[ more ]
BCIS Immigration Benefit Workload Update - 07/07/03
As of April 2003 (the month for which most recent figures are available), the BCIS had a backlog of more than five million immigration applications pending at Service Centers. This includes 1.8 million I-130 petitions and 1.14 million I-485 applications. The overall immigration benefit backlog has grown 35% since April 2002. Denials of applications for immigration benefits have also jumped, up 45% since the same time last year.
[ more ]
Heavier Workloads May Lead to Larger Backlog at Consular Offices - 07/07/03
The State Department has mandated new interview regulations at foreign consular offices to start no later than August 1, 2003. But while these new requirements create more work for the offices, there are no plans to augment staff at the affected locations. The State Department has already announced that the new regulations will cause delays in consular processing
[ more ]
The BCIS e-filing system is up and running - 07/07/03
This is how E-Filing Works. Currently, the BCIS e-filing system allows the forms for the I-90 and the I-765 to be filled out via the Bureau's e-filing website. [ more ]
Wednesday, July 2, 2003
Immigration (BCIS) Memo Provides Guidance on the ‘Adjudicate Orphan Status First’ Pilot Program - 07/02/03
A 6/4/03 BCIS memo (with attachment) provides guidance on adjudicating the Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition (Form I-600A) and the Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative (Form I-600) where the child identified is from a participating country in the “Adjudicate Orphan First” pilot program. [ more ]
Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (BCBP) Assigns Over 375 Additional Agents to Northern Border - 07/02/03
The Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (BCBP) has assigned over 375 additional Border Patrol agents to various locations along the northern border, bringing the total number of agents to 1,000 along the U.S. border with Canada. Funding for these additional permanent positions was provided in the FY 2003 budget passed by Congress. [ more ]
DOJ Inspector General Finds Mounting Delays in IDENT/IAFIS Integration Project - 07/02/03
A 6/03 report by the DOJ Inspector General found that the project to integrate the former INS’s Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT) and the FBI’s Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) has fallen far behind schedule and that such delays pose continued risks to national security.
Click here to view the report. [ more ]
Testimony of DOJ Inspector General before the Senate Judiciary Committee, on June 25, concerning the detention and treatment of September 11 detainees - 07/02/03
Testimony of DOJ Inspector General, Glenn A. Fine, before the Senate Judiciary Committee, on June 25, concerning the detention and treatment of September 11 etainees.
Click here to view the report. [ more ]
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