U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) recently announced the initial registration period for the 2023 H-1B visa program will begin at noon on March 1, 2022, and run through March 18, 2022. Petitions filed within this window afford prospective employers the opportunity to vie for one of the limited H-1B visas for their employees for next year. What is the H-1B Visa? The H-1B is a temporary, READ MORE READ MORE

United States Continues Controversial Border Policy The Biden Administration decided this week to continue a policy implemented by the Trump administration that authorized the rapid deportation of noncitizens stopped at the U.S./Mexico, citing safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 1.5 million people have been expelled under this program without the opportunity to apply for any form of relief. This measure permits U.S. border officials to READ MORE READ MORE

Even the government is feeling the effects of the recent spike in inflation. In December, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) issued a final rule adjusting certain civil penalties to account for the increasing rate of inflation in 2021. The final rule affects civil penalties from numerous DOJ programs, including employer penalties for certain immigration-related programs. DOJ Adjusts for Inflation According to the Department of Justice, a final READ MORE READ MORE

The Biden administration recently announced neNew policies have been designed to attract international graduates who specialize in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (“STEM”) to study in the United States. By adjusting immigration provisions for these students, the Biden administration hopes to boost innovation in cutting-edge fields. Immigration-Based Reform Under the Biden Administration In the first year of the Biden administration, immigration remained a hot-button issue for politicians READ MORE READ MORE

New Jersey’s Governor Phil Murphy to Restore Immigrant Worker Pandemic Fund Last week, the Immigration Weekly Round-Up posted about New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy’s decision to reallocate federal funds from the state’s Immigrant Worker Fund that was designated as pandemic assistance for undocumented immigrants throughout New Jersey. This caused outrage, sparking a protest and hunger strikes.  Following up on that story, Governor Murphy stated Thursday on WNYC radio READ MORE READ MORE