David Vedder, P.A. Case Update

Mr. Vedder represented a prominent physician whose application for naturalization was erroneously denied.  Mr. Vedder filed suit in Federal District Court, Middle District of Florida seeking judicial review of the denial.  Shortly thereafter USCIS/Orlando reversed its decision and naturalized our client.

USA Today: Feds Deny More Visas for Specialized Foreign Workers

USA Today writes about a report released today by the National Foundation for American Policy, which found that approximately 35 percent of the L-1B petitions filed by American companies to bring foreign employees with specialized knowledge in their fields to the U.S. were denied in FY2014. AILA Director of Liaison Betsy Lawrence states that AILA has been asking USCIS to provide clearer guidance on the adjudication of L-1Bs but has received no response, stating "It's incredibly frustrating… there's no predictability in the process whatsoever."

Read full story from USA Today

New York Times: A Life Without Papers

A New York Times op-ed by Texas Organizing Project member Ehiracenia Vasquez describes the impact that DAPA would have on her life. She writes, "I want to drive the short distance to the grocery store without worrying that the police car in the lane of traffic behind me is going to pull me over and demand documents I don't have. I want to be able to look for a good job so that I can help provide for my family. I want to take my kids to school in the morning without worrying whether that day will be the last one I have with them." This initiative has been put on hold, as a court case involving expanded DACA and DAPA makes its way through the legal system.

Read full story here

JUST IN: House funds Department of Homeland Security without immigration measures

The grudge match between Republicans and Democrats over the president's immigration policies and funding the Department of Homeland Security ended-- with a win for Democrats.
 House Republicans approved $39.7 billion in funding for DHS without any measures to block President Barack Obama's executive actions on immigration, which could allow as many as 5 million undocumented immigrants to remain in the country and work for three years.

The vote was 257 to 167, with most Republicans voting against the bill.

Read the whole story here

DHS Will Not Begin Accepting Expanded DACA Applications Tomorrow

DHS announced that it will not accept requests under the expanded DACA initiative tomorrow, February 18, 2015, as originally planned due to the federal district court decision to temporarily enjoin the implementation of DAPA and expanded DACA. Until further notice, DHS has also suspended plans to accept requests for DAPA. However, DOJ will appeal the temporary injunction, and DHS says that it expects it will ultimately prevail in the courts and will implement DAPA and expanded DACA once it does.

Read more here

Successful R-1 Change of Status Petition

David F. Vedder and Daniel C. Ross recently secured a change of status on behalf of Pastor Andres

Villalpando.  Pastor Villalpando is a Mexican citizen ordained in the Southern Baptist faith.  He originally entered the United States on a B-1 tourist visa but approached our firm about changing his status to R-1 nonimmigrant religious worker after First Baptist Church of Daytona Beach offered him a position as Pastor for Hispanic Ministries.  

We filed a timely change of status petition on his behalf and successfully prosecuted it to approval. 

The attorneys at David F. Vedder, P.A. are experienced in both immigrant and nonimmigrant religious worker visas.  Further, we urge the Spanish speaking community interested in First Baptist Church of Daytona Beach to attend Pastor Villalpando’s services at 11 a.m. every Sunday morning at 118 N. Palmetto Avenue, Daytona Beach, Florida.

USCIS to Begin Accepting Requests for Expanded DACA on Feb. 18

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will expand Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals on Feb. 18, 2015. That will be the first day to request DACA under the revised guidelines established as part of President Obama’s recent announcements on immigration.

USCIS advises the public to be extra careful to avoid immigration scams. To learn how to identify and report scams, and how to find authorized legal assistance at little or no cost, go here .

Go to uscis.gov/immigrationaction or uscis.gov/accionmigratoria and enter your email address to get updates whenever USCIS posts new content about the executive actions.

If you have questions, in English or Spanish, you can call the USCIS National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283 (TDD for the hearing-impaired: 1-800-767-1833).