In a significant enforcement action, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents conducted a raid on Abby’s Bakery in Los Fresnos, Texas, on February 12, 2025. The operation led to the arrest of the bakery’s owners, Leonardo Baez and Nora Alicia Avila-Guel, who now face federal charges of harboring undocumented immigrants. Background of the Raid The investigation into Abby’s Bakery commenced in December 2024, following an anonymous READ MORE READ MORE

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released their final rule on Jan. 31, 2024, adjusting the price for certain immigration and naturalization fees. Every two years, the USCIS conducts a fee review. In the most recent biennial review, they determined that the “fees do not recover the full cost of providing adjudication and naturalization services.” In tandem with USCIS, DHS READ MORE READ MORE

Under a newly proposed rule issued by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”), employers will have more options when conducting the I-9 verification process for newly hired employees. The proposal promises to extend alternative options, including making some COVID-19-related flexibilities permanent. The proposed changes could have significant repercussions for employers and I-9 compliance practices. The I-9 Verification Process Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, is a standardized form used READ MORE READ MORE

Today, the United States is home to the largest immigrant population in the world. While much immigration-related debate centers on social issues, immigration’s economic effects are clear-cut it increases potential economic output by increasing the size of the labor force. While inflation fears grip the U.S., the war in Ukraine has caused skyrocketing costs for farmers here. The price of agricultural chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides has risen 50% over the READ MORE READ MORE

In a typical year, more than 270 million immigrants living and working abroad send cash transfers, known as remittances, to their home countries. In 2019, two-thirds of all international migrants lived in just 20 countries, with the United States holding the most at 51 million (about 19% of the world’s total). (United Nations). As of 2020, despite the lockdowns that have devastated economies and led unemployment rates to skyrocket, remittances have generally held READ MORE READ MORE