Dear Readers:

USCIS has announced a series of changes and enhancements to various immigration programs that the agency believes will encourage entrepreneurship and enhance job creation in the US. That the Administration is thinking about using immigration policy to help promote job growth is indeed encouraging and the steps introduced are welcome. Changes are coming to the EB-1 multinational executive/manager category, the EB-2 national interest waiver category, the EB-5 immigrant investor category and the H-1B program. The changes are summed up in this issue of the newsletter.

But while the changes are welcome, they’re only likely to make a small dent in USCIS’ strong institutional bias against small businesses. That has been a problem years in the making and it will take strong and effective leadership from USCIS Director Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Janet Napolitano, Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis to really reform the administrative rules that thwart entrepreneurial enterprise and change the cultures at the agencies.

While USCIS still has enormous problems across the board when it comes to adjudicating petitions, Director Mayorkas does deserve praise for opening up the lines of communication between the public and agency officials. Every week, USCIS is holding stakeholders meetings and teleconferences addressing major issues and getting feedback on how their policies are actually working. Whether the agency is making changes based on that feedback is not clear yet, but these meetings represent a step in the right direction.

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In firm news, three of Siskind Susser’s lawyers - Greg Siskind, Lynn Susser and Karen Weinstock  - were named to US News and World Reports rankings of the top immigration lawyers in the United States. The rankings can be found online at http://bestlawfirms.usnews.com/firms/siskind-susser/overview/36140/.

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Readers are reminded that they are welcome to contact my law office if they would like to schedule a telephone or in person consultation with me or one of my colleagues. If you are interested, please call my office at 901-682-6455.

Regards,

Greg Siskind