The economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic has been felt by nearly all sectors of the economy, but perhaps the most unexpected victim has been the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Unlike many other government agencies, USCIS does not depend on government funding to survive. Instead, the agency…
Articles Posted in Congress
House Passes HEROES Act: What Is It and Will it Survive the Senate?
The House of Representatives has introduced a new bill called the HEROES Act, (Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act), that provides short term financial relief during this health crisis. In this post, we discuss who would be covered under the HEROES Act and what type of relief would…
Republicans Urge President Trump to Restrict Immigration Further for New Petitions for H-1B Workers, H-2B Workers, OPT Students, and EB-5 Investors
On May 7th just days after the President signed his controversial April 22nd executive order limiting the immigration of certain aliens to the United States for 60 days, Republican senators rallied together to urge the President to pass more immigration restrictions—this time targeting nonimmigrant foreign workers. Republican Senators Tom Cotton…
The Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act Proposes Relief for Nurses and Physicians applying for Green Cards
We are pleased to report the introduction of a brand-new Senate bill called the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, sponsored by Senators David Perdue, Todd Young, Dick Durbin, and Chris Coons. The purpose of the bill is to increase the number of health care workers available to meet the demand of…
UPDATE: Paycheck Protection Program 2.0: A Guide for Small Business Owners
President Signs New Bill Authorizing Additional Funding for PPP Last week President Trump signed a new bill into law that provides an additional $310 billion in aid to small business owners that will be funneled into the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program (EIDL) administered…
DACA Frequently Asked Questions—Why You Should Renew your Benefits NOW
Credit: EpicTop10.com UPDATE—The Latest on DACA: Last summer, the United States Supreme Court accepted the Trump administration’s writ of certiorari, agreeing to review several federal court cases challenging the Trump administration’s decision to terminate DACA. The Supreme Court could, at any moment, decide the fate of DACA, making this an…
CARES Act: What’s Inside the Coronavirus Aid Package? Are Aliens Eligible?
It has been nearly two weeks since the President of the United States declared a public health emergency for COVID-19, forcing the American economy to come to a screeching halt. Thereafter, states enacted their own measures requiring non-essential businesses across the country to shutter temporarily until the virus has been…
Trump Administration Proposes Adding Minor Crimes to Offenses Barring Asylum
In its latest attempt to limit the entry of asylum seekers to the United States, the Trump administration has published a new proposal in the Federal Register entitled, “Procedures for Asylum and Bars to Asylum Eligibility,” adding minor crimes to the list of offenses that would bar individuals from obtaining…
Trump’s Policy Changes in 2019: A Year in Review
As we approach the end of the year, in this blog post, we look back at the major policy changes implemented by the Trump administration in the year 2019 that have had a profound impact on the way our immigration system functions today. JANUARY Government Shutdown Woes The start of…
House Passes Farm Workforce Modernization Act, Creating Path to Residency for Undocumented Agricultural/Farm Workers
The House of Representatives recently made a bold move that could give undocumented farmworkers a pathway to permanent residence. Yesterday, December 11, 2019, by a vote of 260-165, the House passed the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, a progressive bill that if approved by the Senate, would create several exciting opportunities…