On September 15, 2020, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced that employers have an additional 60-day extension to the flexibilities in rules related to Form I-9 completion. This extension relates to the relaxation of the requirement to defer the in-person, physical inspection of new hires’ identity and employment eligibility documentation. Initially granted in March, ICE has issued several extensions, with the latest one now set to expire on November 19, 2020. ICE previously granted 30-day extensions, but likely offered this longer time frame due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Continue Reading ICE Stays the Course and Extends I-9 Flexibility
Dreamers Face DACA Reboot
By Dawn Lurie & Deeba Fahami on
Seyfarth Synopsis: In light of the recent Supreme Court decision, DHS continues the DACA program, but implements new guidance as it conducts a complete review of the program.
On July 28, 2020, the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) issued a memo, “Reconsideration of the June 15, 2012 Memorandum Entitled ‘Exercising Prosecutorial Discretion with Respect to Individuals Who Came to the United States as Children,” in response to the recent Supreme Court Case, Department of Homeland Security v. Regents of the University of California (“Regents”) that allowed the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (“DACA”) program to continue based on regulatory grounds, as we reported in our June 19, 2020 post. The Supreme Court found that the Trump administration’s 2017 rescission, reported here of DACA was done in “an arbitrary and capricious way” that violated the Administrative Procedure Act (“APA”). Continue Reading Dreamers Face DACA Reboot
USCIS Furlough Averted, but Crisis Still Looms
By Dawn Lurie on
Posted in US Citizenship and Immigration Services, USCIS
On August 25, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (“USCIS”) Deputy Director for Policy, Joseph Edlow, confirmed the agency no longer intends to furlough 13,000 employees at the end of the month. The message, circulating on social media and now posted on the USCIS website notes that while the doors of the agency will remain open through the end of FY 2020, there will be “aggressive spending” reductions impacting services across the board. USCIS is largely funded by filing fees, which support the agency’s operations, but USCIS claims the fees are not sufficient and accordingly announced a fee increase to take effect later this year.
Deputy Director Edlow warns that there will be operational impacts as a result of foregoing the planned furlough, that may include increased processing times for pending case queries, longer case processing times, and increased adjudication times for adjusting status and naturalizing. The message also notes that there is no guarantee that future furloughs can be avoided, leading him to call on Congress to take long-term action. Continue Reading USCIS Furlough Averted, but Crisis Still Looms
The 2020 Summer Defrost Continues: ICE Extends I-9 Flexibility
On August 18, 2020, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced that employers have an additional 30-day extension to the flexibilities in rules related to Form I-9 compliance. This relaxation of the requirement to defer the in-person, physical inspection of new hires’ identity and employment eligibility documentation was initially granted in March and will now expire on September 19, 2020. Continue Reading The 2020 Summer Defrost Continues: ICE Extends I-9 Flexibility
Register for Seyfarth’s Pop-Up Webinar — Getting Your Key Employees Into the U.S. Under the “Exceptions” to the Visa and Entry Bans and the National Interest “Exemption”
By Seyfarth Shaw LLP on
Posted in Webinar
Pop-Up Webinar Series
Getting Your Key Employees Into the U.S. Under the “Exceptions” to the Visa and Entry Bans and the National Interest “Exemption”
Thursday, August 20, 2020
Join seasoned attorneys in Seyfarth’s Business Immigration Group for this pop-up webinar which will discuss how employers can seek and obtain visa and entry ban exemptions and exceptions under the latest U.S. Department of State and Department of Homeland Security guidance and interpretations. While the discussion will focus on strategies to help key H-1B and L-1 workers, the panelists will also offer strategies that assist other nonimmigrant business and employment-based applicants.
Register for Seyfarth’s Pop-Up Webinar — New Immigration Executive Order Affecting Federal Contractors and Subs: Trojan Horse or Window Dressing?
By Seyfarth Shaw LLP on
Posted in Webinar
Pop-Up Webinar Series
New Immigration Executive Order Affecting Federal Contractors and Subs: Trojan Horse or Window Dressing?
Friday, August 14, 2020
Please join us as we offer early insights into the potential impact of the August 3 Executive Order (EO) focusing on federal contractors (and their subcontractors) that employ H-1B workers. Join the team as we discuss possible implications, prudent strategies, and timelines to comply with these recent government actions.
USCIS to Implement Significant Fee Changes on October 2, 2020
By Seyfarth Shaw LLP on
Posted in USCIS
By: Tieranny Cutler, Cheryl Gardner & Jason Burritt
Seyfarth Synopsis: U.S. employers, applicants for immigration benefits, and other stakeholders should be aware of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) application fee increases and form changes scheduled to take effect on October 2, 2020. Continue Reading USCIS to Implement Significant Fee Changes on October 2, 2020
Another Day, Another Immigration Executive Order: Now Federal Contractors are Targeted
The trend of recent months to curtail employment-based immigration, purportedly prompted by the coronavirus pandemic, continues unabated. On August 3, 2020 President Trump issued yet another executive order, this one entitled, “Executive Order on Aligning Federal Contracting and Hiring Practices With the Interests of American Workers” (“EO” or “Executive Order”). The new EO focuses on federal contractors (and their subcontractors) who employ H-1B and other nonimmigrant foreign workers. While the Executive Order itself imposes no new entry or other immigration restrictions, it instructs the Department of Labor (“DOL”), Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”), and other agencies and departments to take steps that undoubtedly will lay the groundwork to limit H-1B employment in the near future. Continue Reading Another Day, Another Immigration Executive Order: Now Federal Contractors are Targeted
Better Late Than Never: ICE Announces Another Extension to I-9 Compliance Flexibility
Posting early morning on July 20, but dated July 18, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed that employers have an additional 30-day extension to the flexibilities in rules related to Form I-9 compliance. This relaxation of the requirement to physically inspect all new hires’ identity and employment eligibility documentation was granted earlier this year, extended in May, and in June. The expiration date for these accommodations is now August 19, 2020. Continue Reading Better Late Than Never: ICE Announces Another Extension to I-9 Compliance Flexibility
Still No Word From ICE On Virtual I-9s
As of early Friday morning, July 17, there’s been no announcement by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirming whether it will continue the flexibility granted in the Form I-9 process, temporarily suspending the in-person physical inspection requirement. ICE originally announced the relaxation on March 20, as employers were beginning to grapple with COVID-19 work-from-home and shelter-in-place orders. The initial guidance allowed companies to review “Section 2 documents remotely (e.g., over video link, fax or email, etc.) and obtain, inspect, and retain copies of the documents within three business days for purposes of completing Section 2.” The relaxation of this requirement was extended through Sunday, July 19. Employers who have been using the virtual process, and will need to switch gears over the weekend, are getting very nervous. Continue Reading Still No Word From ICE On Virtual I-9s