USCIS
Trump Nominee for USCIS Director Testifies before Senate Committee
President Trump’s pick for the next director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Lee Francis Cissna, recently testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee. This was the first congressional body to publicly vet Cissna after his nomination. The content of this hearing, coupled with his work advising the Trump… Read More
Some Veterans Observe Memorial Day Under Threat of Deportation
This Memorial Day, Americans honor U.S. service members who have died while serving their country. Enlisting in the military, and risking one’s life, is considered a powerful demonstration of gratitude and loyalty to one’s nation. And for many, the decision to serve the United States is also a decision to… Read More
Federal Court Blocks DOJ’s Attempt to Restrict Access to Legal Assistance
On Wednesday, a federal court in Seattle issued a nationwide temporary restraining order allowing nonprofits to continue to provide limited legal assistance to immigrants without being forced to formally represent them in immigration court. The order was issued in a lawsuit brought by the Northwest Immigrants… Read More
Former Leader of Anti-Immigrant Group Now Leads USCIS Oversight Office
The Trump administration continues to stack its deck with key players in the anti-immigrant movement, most recently naming Julie Kirchner as the new Ombudsman for the Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) department. Kirchner, the former executive director of one of the nation’s most prominent anti-immigrant groups, will be tasked… Read More
Say It With Me: Undocumented Immigrants Pay Taxes
Each year, undocumented immigrants file their tax returns, just like all Americans. They pay federal, state, and local taxes, in addition to income, property, and sales taxes. However, there are some anecdotal reports that fewer undocumented immigrants may file their taxes this year. Some tax preparers have reported declines… Read More
Immigration Arrests Increase While Weapon and Drug Arrests Decline, Federal Data Shows
Attorney General Jeff Sessions decried drug dealers and armed cartels at the U.S.-Mexico border on Tuesday, but rather than announcing a crackdown on those elements, he instead declared war on undocumented immigrants and those who defend them. Sessions announced that he was instructing U.S. attorneys to prioritize criminal immigration… Read More
Congress Goes to Recess with No Action on Immigration
President Trump’s campaign promise to ramp up immigration enforcement and build a beautiful wall along the southern border have found little support on Capitol Hill. As Congress leaves for spring recess it’s unclear which of the president’s immigration promises they are willing to help him fulfill. Permanent changes to… Read More
H-1B Annual Cap Reached in First Week for Fifth Consecutive Year
U.S. employers are vying for the chance to hire skilled foreign workers, but once again, the annual H-1B cap has been reached within five business days. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services began accepting H-1B petitions on April 3, 2017 and, on April 7, USCIS announced that it had… Read More
Trump Administration’s Public Shaming Immigration Detainer Report Released
The immigration executive order on interior enforcement signed by the President in January instructed the Department of Homeland Security to release a weekly list of jurisdictions that declined immigration detainers. On March 20, the Trump administration released the first Declined Detainer Outcome Report (DDOR). This report and the documentation… Read More
Halt to Premium Processing of H-1B Visa Petitions Hurts Workers, Business and USCIS
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced it will halt premium processing of H-1B visa petitions on April 3, for up to six months. Through the H-1B visa category, employers can petition for highly educated professionals to work in “specialty occupations” that require at least a bachelor’s degree… Read More
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