A recent Insider report highlighted the continued difficulties of the Pennsylvanian mushroom industry to find workers amidst the labor shortage affecting businesses across the United States. It appears that restrictive immigration laws may be to blame.  Mushroom Industry in Pennsylvania Over two-thirds of America’s mushrooms are grown in southeastern Pennsylvania. In Kennett Square, Chester County, regarded as the “Mushroom Capital of the World,” the annual Mushroom Festival draws an estimated READ MORE READ MORE

U.S. Borders Finally Reopen to Foreign Travelers This week, after 20 months of travel restrictions, the U.S. reopened its borders to millions of travelers around the world, resulting in emotional scenes at airports across the country as family members embraced each other for the first time in almost two years. In March 2020, shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic made its way to the United States, the U.S. READ MORE READ MORE

The U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and Department of Labor (“DOL”) recently announced major settlements in three separate immigration-related discrimination lawsuits involving U.S. companies. Although the specific allegations differ, these announcements underscore the need for U.S. companies to carefully implement their hiring practices to avoid legal consequences.  DOJ, DOL Settle with Facebook Over PERM Recruiting Practices On Oct. 19, 2021, the DOL and DOJ jointly announced settlement agreements with READ MORE READ MORE

In Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, an agreement to open a new immigrant detention facility has drawn backlash from the local community, prompting a lawsuit by the Pennsylvania ACLU. If the facility opens, it will be the largest immigrant detention center in the Northeast.  Immigrant Detention Facilities  In the United States, Immigrant Detention Facilities house individuals while they await legal determinations concerning their immigration status. Many organizations, including the ACLU and Freedom for Immigrants, READ MORE READ MORE

Proposed Increases to Visa Fees for High Skilled Worker and Other Benefits Amendments to a House of Representatives reconciliation bill that have been made public are proposing additional fees for visa petitions for high skilled immigrant workers. If approved, these would add expenses to a process that already costs thousands of dollars for each worker.   The proposal would add a supplemental fee of $500 to file the READ MORE READ MORE