On November 9, 2023, the Department of Homeland Security designated Bolivia as an eligible country [link] to participate in both the H-2A (“H2A”) [see category] and H-2B (“H2B”) [see category] nonimmigrant visa programs. This means that nationals of Bolivia are now eligible beneficiaries for H2A temporary agricultural visa petitions and H2B temporary non-agricultural worker petitions. We maintain a list of eligible H2A and H2B countries in a separate article [see article]. Picture:  ..read more

On May 23, 2022, the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) announced the appointment of five new immigration judges. The immigration judges were appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland and will sit on four immigration courts in California, Florida, and Massachusetts. See the news release [link]. You will find the list of new immigration judges below. New Immigration Judge Table Note: For the “Experience” field, we will list the new immigration judge's experience in broad terms. The EOIR news release includes a detailed list of all of the new immigration judge's previo ..read more

On March 25, 2022, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the investiture of 25 new Immigration Judges. You will find the full list here. Below, we will list the new Immigration Judges and the courts upon which they will sit for your convenience. New IJ Immigration Court Experience Law School Amaya, Roberto K. Santa Ana Private practice U.C. Hastings College of the Law (01) Bohrer, Matthew S. Hyattsville State prosecutor, Private Practice University of Pennsylvania Law School (07) Bonet, Illya ..read more

On June 10, 2021, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced [link] that it began offering filing flexibility for certain applicants and petitioners impacted by delays at a USCIS lockbox. The temporary flexibilities will be in effect from June 10, 2021, through August 9, 2021. They apply only to benefit requests submitted to a USCIS lockbox. They do not apply to benefit requests submitted to a USCIS service center or field office. Below, we quote from the USCIS news release regarding the temporary flexibilities: If you submitted a benefit request t ..read more

On May 21, 2021, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Labor (DOL) published a join-temporary rule making available an additional 22,000 H2B temporary nonagricultural guest worker visas for FY-2021 [link]. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services' (USCIS) press release [link] on the news explains that these additional H2B visas will be available only to “employers who are likely to suffer irreparable harm without these additional workers.” Furthermore, 6,000 of the 22,000 supplemental H2B visas are being reserved for beneficiaries who are nationals of Hondu ..read more

On May 10, 2021, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced [link] that it is rescinding a 2018 notice of proposed rulemaking [see blog] to withdraw The International Entrepreneur parole program, which had been instituted by a a final rule published on January 17, 2017. The rule had been previously allowed to take effect [see article] due to an injunction against an initial effort to end the program in 2017. Picture:  ..read more

Effective May 12, 2021, the U.S. Embassy in Moscow reduced consular services due to the Russian Government's preventing it from employing foreign nationals. As a result, the U.S. Embassy in Moscow is no longer processing visas [link] for non-diplomatic travel. The Embassy added that it is not offering routine notarial services (e.g., Consular Reports of Birth Abroad and renewal of passport services) for the foreseeable future.” The Embassy will provide some emergency services for U.S. citizens who are residents in Russia. Notably, the statement explains that if a U.S. citizen who is resi ..read more

On May 6, 2021, the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) announced the investiture of 17 new immigration judges [link]. These new immigration judges include one Assistant Chief Immigration Judge and six Unit Chief Immigration Judges. Assistant Chief Immigration Judges oversee the operations of their assigned immigration courts. Unit Chief Immigration Judges preside over video teleconference hearings and supervise staff in said hearings. 13 of the immigration judges were appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland, while the remaining four were appointed by former Acting Attorney G ..read more

On May 7, 2021, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services announced [link] the Department of Homeland Security withdrew a proposed rule [link] that would have expanded the biometrics collection requirement by removing age restrictions and requiring biometrics for every application, petitioner, sponsor, beneficiary, or other individual associated with an immigration or naturalization request. The proposed rule had been published on September 11, 2020. With the withdrawal of the proposed rule, the USCIS's existing policies will remain in place. Picture:  ..read more

On May 23, 2022, the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) announced the appointment of five new immigration judges. The immigration judges were appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland and will sit on four immigration courts in California, Florida, and Massachusetts. See the news release [link]. You will find the list of new immigration judges below. New Immigration Judge Table Note: For the “Experience” field, we will list the new immigration judge's experience in broad terms. The EOIR news release includes a detailed list of all of the new immigration judge's previo ..read more