Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman Submits Annual Report to Congress

Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman Submits Annual Report to Congress

New York, NY – June 1, 2022: Precious Ogwu receives certificate of US citizenship during Memorial Day naturalization ceremony at USCIS New York District Office (Shutterstock) WASHINGTON – Yesterday, the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman (CIS Ombudsman) submitted its annual report to Congress which provides recommendations for creating a more effective and efficient […]

DHS Announces Expansion of Citizenship and Integration Grant Program and Open Application Period

DHS Announces Expansion of Citizenship and Integration Grant Program and Open Application Period

By USCIS WASHINGTON— The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the open application period for the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program, which provides funding for citizenship preparation programs in communities across the country. The program will provide up to $20 million in grants, an increase from $10 million in funding last year. “Through our Citizenship […]

State Department Denies Substantial Percentage of Employer-Sponsored Immigrant Visas

State Department Denies Substantial Percentage of Employer-Sponsored Immigrant Visas

By Leslie Dellon, Immigration Impact Surprising data recently revealed that consular officers denied applicants for employer-sponsored immigrant visas at a far higher rate than U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officers denied green cards to employer-sponsored applicants. Data analyzed by the Cato Institute shows that since Fiscal Year 2008, USCIS denied about 8% of employer-sponsored […]

USCIS Revises Procedures for Credible Fear Screening and Consideration by Asylum Officers of Claims for Asylum, Withholding of Removal, and CAT Protection

USCIS Revises Procedures for Credible Fear Screening and Consideration by Asylum Officers of Claims for Asylum, Withholding of Removal, and CAT Protection

Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico, 12-08-2021 – Two men were returned to Mexico under the Migrant Protection Program (MPP) policy. GThey will await their political asylum process in Mexico. (Shutterstock) On May 31, 2022, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ) will begin implementing a rule to ensure that those subject to expedited removal who […]

USCIS Lengthens Work Permit Automatic Extension Period to Address Adjudication Delays

USCIS Lengthens Work Permit Automatic Extension Period to Address Adjudication Delays

By Emma Winger, Immigration Impact U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a temporary rule last week that automatically extends employment authorization for certain noncitizens waiting for USCIS to process their work permit renewal applications. As of December 2021, over 80,000 noncitizens had lost or would soon lose the right to work because of adjudication delays and a growing […]

USCIS Increases Automatic Extension Period of Work Permits for Certain Applicants

USCIS Increases Automatic Extension Period of Work Permits for Certain Applicants

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a Temporary Final Rule (TFR) that increases the automatic extension period for employment authorization and Employment Authorization Documents (EADs), available to certain EAD renewal applicants, to up to 540 days. The increase, which will be effective immediately on May 4, 2022, will help avoid gaps in employment for noncitizens with pending […]

Taking the Next Steps with an Asylum Denial

Taking the Next Steps with an Asylum Denial

By Janet Howard For those subjected to persecution in their native land, there is hope for you. The United States’ asylum process provides protections for those who fear persecution on religious or political grounds. However, the applicant must qualify for asylum in the States. The two ways of obtaining asylum in the United States are […]

A New Win for Immigrants as USCIS Agrees to Restore Path to Permanent Residency for TPS Beneficiaries

A New Win for Immigrants as USCIS Agrees to Restore Path to Permanent Residency for TPS Beneficiaries

Washington, DC – October 23, 2017: Immigration reform protesters demonstrate outside the White House calling for no further deportations and a means to gain legal residency and a path to citizenship. (Shutterstock) By Linda Nwoke In December 2019, Trump’s administration decided to slightly modify an immigration condition which they described as a ‘mere clarification ‘that […]

This USCIS Policy Change Will Reunite Vulnerable LGBTQ Refugee and Asylum Couples

This USCIS Policy Change Will Reunite Vulnerable LGBTQ Refugee and Asylum Couples

By Andrew Lim, Immigration Impact In February, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reversed Trump administration guidance that limited recognition of marriages performed abroad only to those considered “valid” in the country where they took place. This narrow interpretation of the “place-of-celebration” rule left many refugees and asylees without a way to reunite with their […]