Feb 15, 2019
On February 15, 2019, President Trump declared a state of emergency supposedly allowing him to redirect funds, previously allocated to defense, to construct and repair hundreds of miles of fencing and walls at the southern border. The $8 billion funding referenced by the President will consist not only of funds redirected from defense, it will also include funds reallocated from the Department of Treasury. Learn more on our blog.
Feb 15, 2019
Over the past two weeks,Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) has arrested more than 100 students and 8 recruiters connected with the University ofFarmington, located in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan. The University of Farmington is a fake university the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) established to ensnare not only foreign nationals seeking employment authorization while studying in the United States, but also the recruiters who sold them this program. Learn more.
Feb 14, 2019
Jonathan Grode of Green and Spiegel, LLC has been selected as a winner of the Lexology Client Choice award for providing top caliber client service in the business immigration law field.
Feb 13, 2019
The Trump Administration has instituted a new Migrant Protection Protocol (MPP) which calls for certain immigrants seeking admission to the United States at the southern border to be returned to Mexico to await adjudication of their claims in U.S. immigration court. The MPP is being billed as a system to “help restore a safe and orderly immigration process.” Learn more in our blog.
Jan 31, 2019
Though the government just re-opened a few days ago, the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) has been working through the shutdown to finalize its proposed rule that would fundamentally alter the H-1B Cap Lottery. Today, DHS announced it has published the Final Rule for public inspection, and that it is set to take partial effect on April 1, 2019. Learn more on our blog.
Jan 29, 2019
On Friday, January 25, President Trump signed a short-term budget which allows the government to re-open for three weeks, ending the longest government shutdown in history. E-Verify was not available during the shutdown because its authorization had lapsed. With a new temporary reauthorization in place, E-Verify has now resumed operations through at least February 15, 2019. Read the full blog by clicking the link below.
Jan 25, 2019
On January 25, 2019, USCIS announced a limited return of H-1B Premium Processing. If you are unsure whether this limited return of H-1B Premium Processing benefits your pending Petition, please do not hesitate to contact our office.
Jan 24, 2019
By failing to take action this week on a Trump Administration appeal, the U.S. Supreme Court leaves DACA protections in place for at least the remainder of the year. Learn more in this blog.
Jan 22, 2019
Congratulations to Dana Imperia, ESQ., who has just been named Partner at Green and Spiegel’s Philadelphia office.
Jan 18, 2019
January is Human Trafficking Awareness month. In recognition of the fight to end human trafficking and forced labor. Learn about the basics and indicators for identifying human trafficking in this blog.
Jan 17, 2019
Late last week, USCIS took another step towards revamping the H-1B Cap Lottery. As we reviewed in December, the agency proposed a rule that would create an online pre-registration system and reverse the order of Cap selections. Following the end of its comment period in early January, USCIS has now forwarded the proposed rule to the Office of Management and Budget, and intends to review and respond to public comments in the coming weeks.
Jan 14, 2019
Congratulations to Matthew T. Galati for being named a Top 25 Immigration Attorney by EB5Investors Magazine in January 2019 for his experience, reputation, and passion.
Jan 14, 2019
Sustainability – what does it mean and how does it affect your company? The pressure to take on sustainability efforts is on the rise, but there is still push back arguing that sustainability is too expensive. However, evidence refuting the notion that sustainability is too expensive is mounting. Learn more in this article.
Jan 11, 2019
Back in September, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) was allowing applicants to file their I-485 applications for adjustment of status in both the employment-based and the family-based categories according to the earlier-in-time Filing Date Charts. Put another way, USCIS has been accepting Form I-485 filings for all prospective qualifying immigrants before a visa number is technically available. Green and Spiegel has been filing our clients’ files in light of this change for months, however, it appears that this will shortly come to an end. Learn more here.
Jan 11, 2019
On January 1, 2019, the Australia Modern Slavery Act 2018 went into effect. The law asks all businesses operating in Australia with a consolidated revenue of more than $100 million (Australian), to file annual statements on efforts to address the risk of forced and child labor in the supply chain. These statements are due beginning in 2020. To learn more, please contact the International Supply Chain Initiative for a consultation.
Jan 8, 2019
With the Government Shutdown still in effect from December 22, 2018, the E-Verify program has also ceased operations. In light of the recent shutdown, E-Verify has issued temporary policies so that employers do not become noncompliant. If you are an employer and have any questions about E-Verify protocols during the Government Shutdown, please contact us immediately.
Jan 3, 2019
ICE’s published statistics mirror our own experience in 2018, as our firm has received an unprecedented number of inquiries from employers receiving visits from HSI. We strongly advise that employers should take proactive and/or remedial measures – such as internal Form I-9 audits -- in order to avoid the costly and unfavorable consequences of ICE audits that can damage businesses and their employees’ welfare.
Jan 3, 2019
U.S. Practice Director Jonathan Grode will be the lead presenter in an Employer Know Your Rights Training session on Wednesday, January 9, 2019 at 6:00 PM at Esperanza, 4261 North 5th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19140. If you have any questions regarding Form I-9 or audits, contact us today.
Jan 2, 2019
President Trump’s border wall impasse and the subsequent government shutdown have affected immigration courts nationwide.Learn how in this blog. Should you need assistance with an immigration court case, please contact Green and Spiegel's removal defense team at (215) 395-8959.
Dec 27, 2018
Following a flurry of failed deals to keep the government open during the holiday season, the Federal Government shut down as of 12:00AM on December 22, 2018. This post covers how the shutdown affects immigration processes.