Most of you will recall the Trump Era public charge rule, from 2019, which caused chaos and uncertainty and tremendous amounts of paperwork for both applicants and their Attorneys. This was another attempt by the former President to reduce Immigration by denying Immigration benefits to those who rely on Government aid. For a recap of…
Tag Archives: immigration
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USCIS Expected To Use All Available Employment Based Green Cards This Fiscal Year
Last year USCIS came under heavy criticism for failing to issue all available employment-based green cards. Due to the pandemic, most Consulates were closed or operating at a reduced capacity which meant that unused family-based visas rolled over into the employment-based green cards. This was great news. Typically, there are 140,000 employment-based green cards available…
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Supplementing Your Workforce With H-2Bs
The H-2B program allows employers to hire non-agricultural workers on a temporary basis and may be one way to help overcome the current labor shortage in the U.S. Each year there typically are 66,000 H-2B visas available, and this is split into two halves. There are 33,000 for workers starting October 1- March 31 and…
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The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)
Our society faces problems of violence at various levels, and this is why The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is important. It was created to support victims of actual or threatened domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking. VAWA grants the possibility to immigrants who have been abused by a person who has a…
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DACA Renewals and the Future of the American Dream and Promise Act
In 2012, the Obama administration under the President’s executive power implemented the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program, better known as DACA, after congress failed to pass the more comprehensive DREAM Act which was first introduced in 2001. DACA was created to allow for applicants, or so-called Dreamers, that were brought to the U.S before…
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Schedule A occupations
There are certain occupations that the Department of Labor (DOL) has pre-certified, which means that the DOL accepts that there are not a sufficient number of qualified and available U.S. workers. The following Schedule A occupations have been predetermined by the DOL: Group I-Physical Therapists and Nurses; and Immigrants of exceptional Ability in the sciences…
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2021: A Year in Review
Staying on top of the ever-shifting sands of Immigration is no easy task. While 2021 did not see the kind of drastic changes which we saw in the previous 4 years under the Trump administration, there were still significant changes, nonetheless. For the immigration community, most of these changes were much more favorable, especially for…
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An Overview of the H-1B Process
The H-1B visa is one of the most utilized visas by employers to bring foreign talent to the U.S. The H-1B program is intended to allow employers to hire foreign workers temporarily, where such skills cannot be found domestically. The H-1B program is available for specialty occupation workers and fashion models of distinguished merit and…
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DHS Agrees To Allow H-4 And L-2 Applicants To Qualify For 180-Day Automatic EAD Extension As Part Of Settlement
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has now agreed to a settlement after the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and Partners, filed a Federal Lawsuit claiming, that the prohibition on qualifying H-4 and L-2 applicants benefits from the 180-day extension, was unlawful. For details of our original article please click the following link: https://www.patellegal.com/aila-files-lawsuit-claiming-h-4-and-l-2-ead-should-qualify-for-180-day-automatic-extension/ The…
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What To Expect During A Marriage-Based Interview?
So having filed your immigration paperwork with USCIS and after enduring the prolonged processing times USCIS has now sent you a notice asking you to appear for an interview. So, what can you expect? Clients often ask me how they can prepare for an interview and want a set list of questions; however, there is…