DHS and USCIS: Changes at the Top

Last week, the Senate confirmed Alejandro Mayorkas, currently Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), as Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security by a vote of 54-41. 

In this press release commending the confirmation, AILA President Doug Stump remarked, "it is absolutely vital that all DHS components with immigration responsibility share a common vision, speak with one voice on immigration, and consistently discharge their responsibilities." President Obama also announced his intent to nominate Leon Rodriguez as Director of USCIS.

------
Based in Volusia County, Florida, immigration attorneys at the firm of David Vedder, P.A. have global reach and the proven ability to handle matters at all levels of complexity. We welcome inquiries from clients of all cultural backgrounds and referrals from other lawyers. To request an initial consultation or more information on our firm's range of services, call 386-274-0044.

ICE Releases FY2013 Removal Numbers

ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) released its annual report for FY2013, which indicates that ICE removed 368,644 individuals in FY2013, a decrease from FY2012, when 409,849 individuals were removed.
------
Based in Volusia County, Florida, immigration attorneys at the firm of David Vedder, P.A. have global reach and the proven ability to handle matters at all levels of complexity. We welcome inquiries from clients of all cultural backgrounds and referrals from other lawyers. To request an initial consultation or more information on our firm's range of services, call 386-274-0044.

OSC Settles Immigration-Related Discrimination Claim with San Francisco Restaurant

OSC entered into a settlement agreement with Kim Hoang Coffee and Fast Food. An investigation found that the restaurant improperly rejected valid work authorization documents when re-verifying an individual's employment authorization and also asked non-U.S. citizens to produce specific documents to establish work authorization.

Read full story from US Dept of Justice

------
Based in Volusia County, Florida, immigration attorneys at the firm of David Vedder, P.A. have global reach and the proven ability to handle matters at all levels of complexity. We welcome inquiries from clients of all cultural backgrounds and referrals from other lawyers. To request an initial consultation or more information on our firm's range of services, call 386-274-0044.

New Reports Expose Subculture of Cruelty Within the U.S. Border Patrol

There is a subculture of cruelty within the Border Patrol—and, more broadly, within the entire machinery of the U.S. deportation regime. From the ranks of frontline Border Patrol agents to the guards in private, for-profit detention facilities, the abuse of detainees is widely tolerated and even accepted. This is the central finding to emerge from the second wave of the Migrant Border Crossing Study (MBCS). Wave II of the MBCS is currently housed in the Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Arizona and the Department of Sociology at George Washington University. The survey is a study of 1,110 randomly selected, recently repatriated migrants who were surveyed in six Mexican cities between 2009 and 2012. The results of this study are being released in a series of three reports titled Bordering on Criminal: The Routine Abuse of Migrants in the Removal System. -

Read more from Immigration Impact

------
Based in Volusia County, Florida, immigration attorneys at the firm of David Vedder, P.A. have global reach and the proven ability to handle matters at all levels of complexity. We welcome inquiries from clients of all cultural backgrounds and referrals from other lawyers. To request an initial consultation or more information on our firm's range of services, call 386-274-0044.

Free Webinar for Spanish Speaking Employers Today

On December 18, at 3:00 PM EST, Spanish speaking employers can learn about E-Verify and the Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification process in their native language!

USCIS subject matter experts will discuss:

• The Form I-9 process 
• How E-Verify works  
• How to enroll
• Employer responsibilities     

You will also have an opportunity to ask questions. Pre-registration is not required to attend this FREE live Webinar.

On December 18 at 3:00 PM EST,  click here to join the webinar.

See our flyer for more information.  Please share this announcement with anyone who may be interested!

Additional resource information is available on both www.dhs.gov/E-Verify and www.uscis.gov/E-Verify/Espanol.

Please click here to see the schedule of all upcoming E-Verify and Form I-9 webinars.

------
Based in Volusia County, Florida, immigration attorneys at the firm of David Vedder, P.A. have global reach and the proven ability to handle matters at all levels of complexity. We welcome inquiries from clients of all cultural backgrounds and referrals from other lawyers. To request an initial consultation or more information on our firm's range of services, call 386-274-0044.

The Hill: White House Won't Rule Out Future Executive Action on Immigration

The Hill reports that while the White House has ruled out a sweeping halt to deportations, it is unclear whether President Obama could use his executive authority, which includes the ability to grant temporary work permits, to help the undocumented.

Read full article from The Hill here.
------
Based in Volusia County, Florida, immigration attorneys at the firm of David Vedder, P.A. have global reach and the proven ability to handle matters at all levels of complexity. We welcome inquiries from clients of all cultural backgrounds and referrals from other lawyers. To request an initial consultation or more information on our firm's range of services, call 386-274-0044.

Can immigration reform transform the housing market?

As Congress restarts conversations about the federal budget and deficit reduction, the immigration reform debate is still front and center for many. As that debate unfolds, it is important to put some hard facts on the table.  What are the costs and benefits of reform?  What impact will reform have on economic growth and wages?  How will immigration reform affect the federal budget?

A new study by the Bipartisan Policy Center Immigration Task Force found the evidence suggests that immigration reform can produce significant economic dividends for our country.

Unlike other efforts, this study was not a political exercise seeking to justify a pre-determined outcome.  Instead, it was a serious, scholarly attempt to understand the true economic implications of immigration reform.

Read full article from The Hill
------
Based in Volusia County, Florida, immigration attorneys at the firm of David Vedder, P.A. have global reach and the proven ability to handle matters at all levels of complexity. We welcome inquiries from clients of all cultural backgrounds and referrals from other lawyers. To request an initial consultation or more information on our firm's range of services, call 386-274-0044.

The January 2014 Visa Bulletin is Out!

The State Department released the Visa Bulletin for January 2014. There was forward movement in the employment-based third preference and other worker categories, as well as in some of the family-based preference categories.

The bulletin can be found here

------
Based in Volusia County, Florida, immigration attorneys at the firm of David Vedder, P.A. have global reach and the proven ability to handle matters at all levels of complexity. We welcome inquiries from clients of all cultural backgrounds and referrals from other lawyers. To request an initial consultation or more information on our firm's range of services, call 386-274-0044.

Delaware News Journal: Will Politics Kill Possibility of Immigration Reform?

AILA member Matthew Hirsch writes an editorial for The Delaware News Journal in which he advocates that the time has come for immigration reform, as it would boost the economy, meet the labor needs of agricultural producers, and grow the high-tech sector. Read this story and more in AILA's daily immigration news clips here. Follow AILA's Immigration Politics 2013 for updates on reform.

Read article here

------
Based in Volusia County, Florida, immigration attorneys at the firm of David Vedder, P.A. have global reach and the proven ability to handle matters at all levels of complexity. We welcome inquiries from clients of all cultural backgrounds and referrals from other lawyers. To request an initial consultation or more information on our firm's range of services, call 386-274-0044.

Visa Office Forecasts Changes in Some Employment Cut-Off Dates

 Visa Office Forecasts Changes in Some Employment Cut-Off Dates

The Department of State's Visa Office has projected changes in some employment cut-off dates. The December 2013 Visa Bulletin notes that the India employment second and third preference category cut-off dates advanced very rapidly at the end of fiscal year 2013. Those movements were based on the availability of thousands of "otherwise unused" numbers that could be made available without regard to the preference per-country annual limits. This has resulted in a dramatic increase in applicant demand, the Visa Bulletin notes. Consequently, the Visa Office has retrogressed those cut-off dates for December "in an effort to hold number use within the numerical limits."

In the coming months, the Visa Office expects the employment first preference category to remain Current, and the employment second preference worldwide category to remain Current. The employment second preference category for China is expected to move forward three to five weeks. No forward movement is expected in the India second preference category.

The worldwide employment third preference category cut-off date has advanced extremely rapidly during the past seven months "to generate new demand," the Visa Bulletin states. As the rate of applicants whose cases are finalized increases, it could have a significant effect on the cut-off date. Rapid forward movement of this cut-off date "should not be expected to continue beyond February," the Visa Bulletin notes.

China's and Mexico's employment third preference cut-off dates are expected to remain at the worldwide date. India should see no forward movement and the Philippines is expected to move forward three to six weeks.

The employment fourth and fifth preference cut-off dates are expected to remain Current. The Visa Office noted that these projections are "what is likely to happen during each of the next few months based on current applicant demand patterns." However, the Visa Office cautioned that these trends are not guaranteed and corrective action could be required at some point to maintain number use within the applicable annual limits. Unless indicated, the Visa Office said that those categories with a Current projection in the December Visa Bulletin "will remain so for the foreseeable future."

The Visa Bulletin for December 2013 is available here.
Source

------
Based in Volusia County, Florida, immigration attorneys at the firm of David Vedder, P.A. have global reach and the proven ability to handle matters at all levels of complexity. We welcome inquiries from clients of all cultural backgrounds and referrals from other lawyers. To request an initial consultation or more information on our firm's range of services, call 386-274-0044.

Washington Post: Immigration Reform Outlook

This Washington Post blog opines that immigration reform is still possible, although maybe not in the same sweeping fashion as the Senate bill. Read this story and more in AILA's daily immigration news clips here.

------
Based in Volusia County, Florida, immigration attorneys at the firm of David Vedder, P.A. have global reach and the proven ability to handle matters at all levels of complexity. We welcome inquiries from clients of all cultural backgrounds and referrals from other lawyers. To request an initial consultation or more information on our firm's range of services, call 386-274-0044.

Speaker Boehner Ignores the Costs of Doing Nothing

Speaker of the House John Boehner reassured the far-right wing of the Republican Party and anti-immigrant activists that he would never agree to a conference to hammer out an agreement on a House immigration bill and S. 744, the Senate’s bipartisan immigration bill that passed in June. While that statement may have been reassuring to a few die-hard anti-immigration reform activists, it had the opposite effect for the vast majority of Americans. The Speaker’s statement does not stop the clock on the economic, social, and societal costs of doing nothing on immigration. It also does not honor the hard work of Democrats and Republicans who have worked in good faith to pass the Senate bill and negotiate on various fronts in the House.   

However, what Speaker Boehner's statement does do is open the door to more protests and public outrage, encourage states to continue to take the lead on immigration policy and leave the administration in the difficult situation of deciding how long they will let Congressional inaction continue before they will intervene. When Congress refuses to act they make themselves less relevant and reinforce the idea that they cannot work constructively to fix our nation's most pressing problems.

Thus, rather than tamp down the flames of reform, the Speaker’s statements will embolden those who will work to fix immigration policy on their own - for better or worse. It’s inevitable that immigration reform will happen it’s just a matter of how much our economy, communities, and the Republican Party will lose in the meantime.

------
Based in Volusia County, Florida, immigration attorneys at the firm of David Vedder, P.A. have global reach and the proven ability to handle matters at all levels of complexity. We welcome inquiries from clients of all cultural backgrounds and referrals from other lawyers. To request an initial consultation or more information on our firm's range of services, call 386-274-0044.

Politico: Reince Priebus Says Immigration Reform Is Not Dead

Politico reports that Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said that his "gut" feeling is that the House will pass an immigration overhaul in the next 14 months. Read this story and more in AILA's daily immigration news clips here.

------
Based in Volusia County, Florida, immigration attorneys at the firm of David Vedder, P.A. have global reach and the proven ability to handle matters at all levels of complexity. We welcome inquiries from clients of all cultural backgrounds and referrals from other lawyers. To request an initial consultation or more information on our firm's range of services, call 386-274-0044.

NBC News Latino: Third House Republican Signs On To Immigration Reform Bill, Saying "It Cannot Wait"

NBC News Latino reports that Representative David Valadao (R-CA) became the third Republican to sign on to the immigration reform bill introduced in the House of Representatives. Follow the related updates and analysis on this AILA Leadership Blog post, in this AILA Quicktake video, and on AILA's Immigration Politics 2013. Read more stories in AILA's daily immigration news clips here.

------
Based in Volusia County, Florida, immigration attorneys at the firm of David Vedder, P.A. have global reach and the proven ability to handle matters at all levels of complexity. We welcome inquiries from clients of all cultural backgrounds and referrals from other lawyers. To request an initial consultation or more information on our firm's range of services, call 386-274-0044.

Immigration Relief Measures for Filipino Nationals impacted by Typhoon Haiyan

Please see important information below by USCIS regarding immigration relief measures for Filipino Nationals impacted by Typhoon Haiyan.

This is the CIS note:

Dear Stakeholder,

We in U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) are deeply saddened by the effects of the typhoon that struck the Philippines on November 8, 2013. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this tragedy.

We have taken steps to provide relief to victims of the typhoon. Filipino nationals in the United States should visit the home page of our website to learn about a series of existing relief measures that may be available to them. In addition, we are proactively identifying and expediting pending petitions for alien relatives, the Form I-130, that have been filed by U.S. Citizens for their Filipino immediate relatives.   Our standard security checks remain in place.

A Form I-130 petitioner can check his or her case status online at www.uscis.gov or by contacting the National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283 or 1-800-767-1833 (TDD assistance). In addition, a petitioner can sign up to receive automatic case status updates by e-mail as one’s case is processed. If one has filed a Form I-130 and received a request for evidence or any other type of communication from USCIS, one should read the notice carefully to ensure that one responds to the same USCIS Service Center that sent the notice.

Members of Congress and members of the community have requested that the Philippines receive a designation of Temporary Protected Status, commonly known as “TPS.” The Department of Homeland Security, along with other federal agencies, is reviewing these requests, the conditions in the Philippines, and other relevant factors in assessing whether a TPS designation is warranted.

We are monitoring the situation closely and actively considering what additional measures we can take to assist and support individuals affected by the tragedy.

Kind Regards,

USCIS Public Engagement Division

------
Based in Volusia County, Florida, immigration attorneys at the firm of David Vedder, P.A. have global reach and the proven ability to handle matters at all levels of complexity. We welcome inquiries from clients of all cultural backgrounds and referrals from other lawyers. To request an initial consultation or more information on our firm's range of services, call 386-274-0044.

USCIS Launches Redesigned USCIS Website

USCIS announced that it has launched its redesigned website in English, www.USCIS.gov, as well as in Spanish, www.USCIS.gov/es.

------
Based in Volusia County, Florida, immigration attorneys at the firm of David Vedder, P.A. have global reach and the proven ability to handle matters at all levels of complexity. We welcome inquiries from clients of all cultural backgrounds and referrals from other lawyers. To request an initial consultation or more information on our firm's range of services, call 386-274-0044.

Latino Voters Poised to Again Play Key Role in Elections

One year after the 2012 elections, in which the Latino vote  played a pivotal role in the re-election of President Obama, the Republican Party is still attempting to figure out how to attract Latinos and new immigrant voters to the fold.

Read full story from Immigration Impact
------
Based in Volusia County, Florida, immigration attorneys at the firm of David Vedder, P.A. have global reach and the proven ability to handle matters at all levels of complexity. We welcome inquiries from clients of all cultural backgrounds and referrals from other lawyers. To request an initial consultation or more information on our firm's range of services, call 386-274-0044.

How Immigrants on a Pathway to Citizenship can Revitalize Rust Belt Cities

Like Rust Belt cities such as Baltimore and Detroit, rural towns across America have experienced population declines in recent decades. Some places, however, are an exception to that trend thanks in part to the arrival of immigrants. For example, while other Iowa towns experienced population decline over the past several decades, West Liberty’s population grew because of immigration.

Read full article from Immigration Impact

------
Based in Volusia County, Florida, immigration attorneys at the firm of David Vedder, P.A. have global reach and the proven ability to handle matters at all levels of complexity. We welcome inquiries from clients of all cultural backgrounds and referrals from other lawyers. To request an initial consultation or more information on our firm's range of services, call 386-274-0044.

New USCIS Processing Time Reports Are Here!

According to the website, AILA-USCIS released processing time reports dated November 18, 2013 (with processing dates as of September 30, 2013) for the California Service Center (CSC), the Nebraska Service Center (NSC), the Texas Service Center (TSC), the Vermont Service Center (VSC), and the National Benefits Center (NBC).
------
Based in Volusia County, Florida, immigration attorneys at the firm of David Vedder, P.A. have global reach and the proven ability to handle matters at all levels of complexity. We welcome inquiries from clients of all cultural backgrounds and referrals from other lawyers. To request an initial consultation or more information on our firm's range of services, call 386-274-0044.

USCIS Memo on Immediate Relative I-485s for VWP Applicants

USCIS released a policy memorandum dated November 14, 2013, which updates Chapters 10.3 and 23.5 of the Adjudicator's Field Manual (AFM) and provides guidance on the adjudication of Forms I-485 filed by immediate relatives of U.S. citizens who were last admitted under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).
------
Based in Volusia County, Florida, immigration attorneys at the firm of David Vedder, P.A. have global reach and the proven ability to handle matters at all levels of complexity. We welcome inquiries from clients of all cultural backgrounds and referrals from other lawyers. To request an initial consultation or more information on our firm's range of services, call 386-274-0044.

How Latino and Asian Voters Made the Difference in 2013 Gubernatorial Elections

In a Dickensian tale of two campaigns for governor, the Republican Party watched two very different strategies unfold on how to embrace or reject Latino voters on Tuesday. A majority of Latino voters voted for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie as he soundly won reelection, while Ken Cuccinelli lost his campaign to be Virginia’s governor after alienating Latinos with his anti-immigrant positions. As Jordan Fabian at Fusion explains, Christie offered Republicans a path for how to make inroads with Latinos, but “Cuccinelli’s campaign, on the other hand, fell into the same traps that have doomed Republicans in the last two elections.”

Christie won 51 percent of Latino voters on Tuesday, according to exit polls. That was an enormous jump from his 2009 election when he narrowly beat Democrat Jon Corzine but only had support from 32 percent of Latino voters. The gains can be attributed to his extensive outreach to minority communities “Christie didn’t take an antagonistic approach – he wasn’t about ‘here’s the groups I don’t like, I don’t like immigrants, or gay marriage’ and he literally embraced diversity, when he talked about all the different people he had hugged in the campaign,” Latino Decisions political scientist Sylvia Manzano told NBC Latino. And Christie also embraced pro-immigrant policy positions, like supporting immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship and allowing undocumented students to pay in-state tuition at New Jersey public colleges and universities.

Read full article from Immigration Impact
------
Based in Volusia County, Florida, immigration attorneys at the firm of David Vedder, P.A. have global reach and the proven ability to handle matters at all levels of complexity. We welcome inquiries from clients of all cultural backgrounds and referrals from other lawyers. To request an initial consultation or more information on our firm's range of services, call 386-274-0044.

Poll indicates support for immigration reform

Politico reports that 52% of those surveyed in a new poll said they would be more likely to support a candidate who backs immigration reform, compared with 18% who said they would be less likely.
Read full article from Politico
------
Based in Volusia County, Florida, immigration attorneys at the firm of David Vedder, P.A. have global reach and the proven ability to handle matters at all levels of complexity. We welcome inquiries from clients of all cultural backgrounds and referrals from other lawyers. To request an initial consultation or more information on our firm's range of services, call 386-274-0044.

December 2013 Visa Bulletin

The State Department has released the Visa Bulletin for December 2013. The employment-based visa category for India retrogressed from June 15, 2008, to November 15, 2004. There were small movements forward in the priority dates for family-based worldwide, China, and India visa preference categories.

Click here to access the December 2013 Visa Bulletin

------
Based in Volusia County, Florida, immigration attorneys at the firm of David Vedder, P.A. have global reach and the proven ability to handle matters at all levels of complexity. We welcome inquiries from clients of all cultural backgrounds and referrals from other lawyers. To request an initial consultation or more information on our firm's range of services, call 386-274-0044.

New push for Immigration Reform will target 9 House Republicans

Credit: Washington Post

The Washington Post reports that in a renewed effort to support immigration reform, an AFL-CIO ad campaign will target nine Republican lawmakers in districts with sizable Latino populations.

Read full article from The Washington Post 

------ 

Based in Volusia County, Florida, immigration attorneys at the firm of David Vedder, P.A. have global reach and the proven ability to handle matters at all levels of complexity. We welcome inquiries from clients of all cultural backgrounds and referrals from other lawyers. To request an initial consultation or more information on our firm's range of services, call 386-274-0044.

DHS Extends Somalia TPS

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano has re-designated Somalia for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and has extended the existing TPS designation for Somalia from Sept. 18, 2012 through March 17, 2014, allowing eligible nationals of Somalia to register or re-register for TPS in accordance with the Federal Register notice.

Somali nationals with TPS who are seeking to re-register for TPS must file their application packages during the 60-day re-registration period that runs from May 1, 2012, through July 2, 2012. Somalis (or persons without nationality who last habitually resided in Somalia) in the United States who do not currently have TPS may apply under the re-designation during the six-month period that runs from May 1, 2012 through Oct. 29, 2012. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) encourages eligible individuals to register as soon as possible.

Read full article from US Citizen and Immigration Services

------
Based in Volusia County, Florida, immigration attorneys at the firm of David Vedder, P.A. have global reach and the proven ability to handle matters at all levels of complexity. We welcome inquiries from clients of all cultural backgrounds and referrals from other lawyers. To request an initial consultation or more information on our firm's range of services, call 386-274-0044.

November 2013 Visa Bulletin

The Visa Bulletin provides information regarding the cut-off dates which govern visa availability in the numerically limited visa categories and other immigrant visa related information.

Click here for the November 2013 Visa Bulletin


------ Based in Volusia County, Florida, immigration attorneys at the firm of David Vedder, P.A. have global reach and the proven ability to handle matters at all levels of complexity. We welcome inquiries from clients of all cultural backgrounds and referrals from other lawyers. To request an initial consultation or more information on our firm's range of services, call 386-274-0044.

Huffington Post: Gutierrez Says House Will Use GOP's Piecemeal Approach to Immigration Reform

According to The Huffington Post, Representative Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) has said that he is open to a piecemeal approach to immigration reform, as long as it eventually includes different measures affecting security, the Dreamers, and new workers.

Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), a leading proponent of comprehensive immigration reform in the House, said Thursday in a radio interview that the GOP preference for a piecemeal approach is likely to win out.

"We are going to do them piecemeal, but in the end you're going to have a full menu," Gutierrez said on Chicago Public Radio's "Afternoon Shift." Gutierrez has said before that he's open to a piecemeal approach to immigration reform, as long as it eventually includes different measures affecting security, the so-called Dreamers and new workers.

Read full article from Huffington Post

------ Based in Volusia County, Florida, immigration attorneys at the firm of David Vedder, P.A. have global reach and the proven ability to handle matters at all levels of complexity. We welcome inquiries from clients of all cultural backgrounds and referrals from other lawyers. To request an initial consultation or more information on our firm's range of services, call 386-274-0044.

USCIS Reminds Diversity Visa Applicants to Be Wary of Scammers

The DOS Diversity Visa Program registration ends on November 2, 2013, and USCIS cautions applicants to be wary of fake e-mails, letters, text messages, and phone calls from possible scammers.

On October 1, 2013, the U.S. Department of State began taking online registrations for the 2015 Diversity Visa (DV) Program. The registration period ends on Saturday, November 2, 2013. During this time it is common for scammers to pose as the U.S. government and attempt to deceive DV Program applicants and take their money. USCIS would like to caution DV Program applicants not to interact with anyone other than the U.S. Department of State regarding this program and to be wary of fake emails, letters, text messages and phone calls from possible scammers. 

Please visit https://www.dvlottery.state.gov/ for official U.S. government information on the program. 

To learn more about other types of immigration scams, and how to avoid becoming a victim of a scam, please visit www.uscis.gov/avoidscams. 

Source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services



------
Based in Volusia County, Florida, immigration attorneys at the firm of David Vedder, P.A.  have global reach and the proven ability to handle matters at all levels of complexity. We welcome inquiries from clients of all cultural backgrounds and referrals from other lawyers. To request an initial consultation or more information on our firm's range of services, call 386-274-0044.