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Bipartisan Policy Center Releases Study Regarding Green Card Backlog

Posted by Hugo R. Valverde, Managing Attorney, and Anna D. Colby, Attorney Social Media Marketing Manager | Dec 22, 2023 | 0 Comments

Money talks, as the saying goes. And the money involved in this discussion is a reported $3.9 trillion. You read that right, TRILLION. A new study from the Bipartisan Policy Center estimates that is how much the U.S. is losing because of its green card backlog. Read our latest blog to learn more.

Filing Location Change for Premium Processing of Employment Based Petitions

Posted by Hugo R. Valverde, Managing Attorney, and Anna D. Colby, Attorney Social Media Marketing Manager | Dec 13, 2023 | 0 Comments

After years of filing employment based (EB) petitions one way, USCIS has announced its newest modern rollout - transitioning its filing location for premium processing of EB petitions from USCIS service centers to a USCIS lockbox. Read our latest blog to ensure your documents get filed in the correct location.

Family Reunification Parole Process for Ecuadorians is Established

Posted by Hugo R. Valverde, Managing Attorney, and Anna D. Colby, Attorney Social Media Marketing Manager | Dec 04, 2023 | 0 Comments

The Biden Administration has announced a new Family Reunification Parole Process for Ecuador, which would enable certain people with approved family based petitions to wait in the United States for an immigrant visa instead of outside the country. Read our latest blog to learn more!

Board of Immigration Appeals Limits Cuban Eligibility for Benefits Under the Cuban Adjustment Act

Posted by Hugo R. Valverde, Managing Attorney, and Anna D. Colby, Attorney Social Media Marketing Manager | Nov 29, 2023 | 0 Comments

It is very confusing when the government treats the same population of people differently from one another.  Yet it’s happened in several instances with immigrants to the United States, and it’s the cause of widespread confusion in the Cuban-American community right now.  Almost three million people belonging to the Cuban diaspora live in the United States, and a large amount of them have been beneficiaries of the Cuban Adjustment Act. Now, a new ruling from the Board of Immigration Appeals is causing frustration. Read our latest blog to learn more.

USCIS Sets New Automatic Extension Period for Certain EAD Renewal Applicants

Posted by Hugo R. Valverde, Managing Attorney, and Anna D. Colby, Attorney Social Media Marketing Manager | Nov 15, 2023 | 0 Comments

How do I know if I am eligible for an automatic extension of my EAD? On October 26, 2023, the temporary rule that was put in place to extend work authorization for many renewal applicants ended. Beginning on October 27, 2023, USCIS implemented its new policy for automatic extensions of EADs. Read our latest blog to learn if your EAD qualifies for automatic extension.

USCIS Makes Updates to Protect Children From Aging Out of Family Petitions

Posted by Hugo R. Valverde, Managing Attorney, and Anna D. Colby, Attorney Social Media Marketing Manager | Nov 01, 2023 | 0 Comments

Have you ever heard of the Child Status Protection Act? The Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) was created by Congress in 2002 to essentially ‘freeze’ a child’s age to the time of an immigration petition being filed so that children’s ability to immigrate with their parents would be protected. This year USCIS updated its guidance as to when an immigrant visa becomes available for the purpose of calculating an applicant’s CSPA age. Read our latest blog to learn about this change.

Biden Administration to Expedite Work Permit Applications

Posted by Hugo R. Valverde, Managing Attorney, and Anna D. Colby, Attorney Social Media Marketing Manager | Oct 30, 2023 | 0 Comments

Starting in October, USCIS announced it will expedite employment authorization (EAD) applications for parolees who scheduled an appointment through the CBP One app to gain legal entrance to the United States. For those applications USCIS has stated its goal is to decrease the processing time from 90 days to 30 days.  Read our latest blog to learn if your application will be affected by this announcement.

Temporary Protected Status Renewed for Sudan, Ukraine, and Afghanistan

Posted by Hugo R. Valverde, Managing Attorney, and Anna D. Colby, Attorney Social Media Marketing Manager | Oct 02, 2023 | 0 Comments

Almost a quarter of a million people in the United States may feel a lot safer after recent announcements from Secretary Mayorkas of the Department of Homeland Security ensured that TPS (Temporary Protected Status) will be extended and redesignated for the nations of Sudan, Ukraine, and Afghanistan. Read our latest blog to learn about what next steps you need to take to remain on TPS.

Requesting USCIS Appointments Online

Posted by Hugo R. Valverde, Managing Attorney, and Anna D. Colby, Attorney Social Media Marketing Manager | Sep 17, 2023 | 0 Comments

USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) has made big strides this year in advancing its website’s modern capabilities. Its latest website improvement is pretty major - the ability to schedule certain in-person appointments, online.  Read our latest blog to learn what USCIS appointments you can now book online.

The Backlog is Back: Extended Waits for Consular Interviews

Posted by Hugo R. Valverde, Managing Attorney, and Anna D. Colby, Attorney Social Media Marketing Manager | Sep 14, 2023 | 0 Comments

Waiting is hard. But waiting when you are separated from loved ones is even harder.  We’ve reported a lot about the backlogs of USCIS, the waits for interviews, and decisions that seem unnecessarily drawn out. But at least for those decisions people are often in the United States waiting. Now, a new report reveals the depths of the backlog at U.S. consular offices abroad, where at some places the wait for an interview is up to four years long. 

Changes Made for the Cuba and Haiti Family Reunification Parole Process

Posted by Hugo R. Valverde, Managing Attorney, and Anna D. Colby, Attorney Social Media Marketing Manager | Aug 30, 2023 | 0 Comments

In the mid-1990s Bill Gates said, “If your business is not on the Internet, then your business will be out of business.”  This quote from the co-founder of Microsoft rings true almost 30 years later, but the U.S. government is still not fully caught up to having its business online.  In trying to update its processes USCIS has announced that the Cuban and Haitian family reunification parole processes will be almost exclusively online. Read our latest blog to learn more about this newly announced process.

A New Ruling on In-Absentia Deportation Orders

Posted by Hugo R. Valverde, Managing Attorney, and Anna D. Colby, Attorney Social Media Marketing Manager | Aug 22, 2023 | 0 Comments

Did you know that if you receive a Notice to Appear for removal proceedings in Immigration Court, but the Notice does not include a date or time, a removal ordered given after might be void? In a new 4th Circuit ruling, a federal court has ruled that someone in removal proceedings who has received a faulty Notice to Appear cannot be ordered removed in absentia (meaning the person was not in the courtroom at the time of the order).  Read our latest blog to learn what this means.

U.S. Presidential Advisory Recommends Recapture of Unused Green Cards

Posted by Hugo R. Valverde, Managing Attorney, and Anna D. Colby, Attorney Social Media Marketing Manager | Aug 18, 2023 | 0 Comments

The most recent USCIS data shows a backlog of 8.6 million applications.  8.6 million.  Put into context, that number represents at least double or triple that in the amount of loved ones whose reunification is dependent on the processing of a USCIS petition.  A recent Presidential Advisory recommends a pathway to helping some of these families - read our latest blog to learn about this process.

United States Announces ESTA Ineligibility for Recent Visitors to Cuba

Posted by Hugo R. Valverde, Managing Attorney, and Anna D. Colby, Attorney Social Media Marketing Manager | Aug 18, 2023 | 0 Comments

Are you dreaming of cigars on the beach in Old Havana and vintage cars?  If you are from a Visa Waiver Program country and planning to visit the United States soon you may want to think again. The relationship between Cuba and the United States is one fraught with uncertainty - tension that seems to come out publicly only in changing policy announcements.  Now, the United States has announced a new policy involving Cuba and travelers wishing to come to the U.S. after having recently visited there.  Read our latest blog to find out if this new policy affects you.

USCIS Takes Another Step into the 21st Century for Biometrics Appointments

Posted by Hugo R. Valverde, Managing Attorney, and Anna D. Colby, Attorney Social Media Marketing Manager | Jul 30, 2023 | 0 Comments

Today there are websites and apps for almost everything. USCIS recognizes the importance of technology in everyday lives, and while there is still no USCIS app, the federal agency is utilizing its website to provide an updated method for rescheduling biometric services appointments. 

Biden Administrations Begins Family Reunification for Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras

Posted by Hugo R. Valverde, Managing Attorney, and Anna D. Colby, Attorney Social Media Marketing Manager | Jul 21, 2023 | 0 Comments

It’s the dream of many people who have immigrated to the United States — to be able to bring their family members here. But for so many that dream takes decades and decades to become a reality.  In May the Biden Administration announced a new initiative to reunite families from four different Latin American countries -Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras - and now the family reunification program has opened. Read our latest blog to learn how the process is initiated for family reunification.

Biden Administrations Utilizes Mobile App for Asylum Seekers

Posted by Hugo R. Valverde, Managing Attorney, and Anna D. Colby, Attorney Social Media Marketing Manager | Jul 19, 2023 | 0 Comments

It’s been called “the main gateway to the American asylum system.” The Biden Administration is now utilizing a mobile app, called CBP One, for asylum seekers at the Mexican border to schedule appointments to present themselves at U.S. ports of entry and request asylum. Read our latest blog to learn more about this 21st century immigration tool.

USCIS Makes Changes to Affirmative Asylum Filing

Posted by Hugo R. Valverde, Managing Attorney, and Anna D. Colby, Attorney Social Media Marketing Manager | Jul 15, 2023 | 0 Comments

It’s always important to double check the USCIS website before something is filed, even if it is a very familiar filing.  After years of affirmative asylum petitions being filed at a service center, USCIS has announced filing location changes based on jurisdiction. Read our latest blog to find out how this affects your filing.

USCIS Suspends Biometrics Appointments for Certain I-539 Applicants

Posted by Hugo R. Valverde, Managing Attorney, and Anna D. Colby, Attorney Social Media Marketing Manager | Jul 09, 2023 | 0 Comments

Fingerprint usage in 2023 is fairly common - unlocking iphones, background checks, even Disneyworld is now using fingerprint technology for people to access its parks!  Since fingerprints have become such an easy and unique recognition tool, USCIS’ latest announcement about them may feel surprising - it has suspended biometrics (fingerprint) appointments for certain I-539 applicants.  Read our latest blog to learn whether this affects you.

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