House Backs Bill for Israeli Investors

Jewish Telegraphic Agency reports that the House of Representatives passed legislation by a vote of 371-0 that would add Israel to the list of countries eligible for non-immigrant investor visas in the United States. The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.) would grant Israelis the ability to acquire the E-2 visa if similarly situated U.S. nationals are eligible for non-immigrant visas in Israel. There is a companion bill in the Senate, S 921, introduced by Senator Schumer on 5/9/11; however the Senate Judiciary committee has not yet considered this bill.

http://www.jta.org/news/article/2012/02/28/3091882/house-judiciary-committee-approves-investor-visa-bill

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Senator Presses DOJ on “Potentially Misleading” Statement in Immigration Case

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy has asked the Justice Department to clarify a “potentially misleading statement” government lawyers made to the Supreme Court in a 2009 immigration case. The government told the court that its “policy and practice” was to assist deported aliens in returning to the U.S. if they win their immigration cases on appeal. Immigration lawyers said they were unaware of any such practice, and filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit to obtain relevant government records. In February, U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff, who reviewed government emails concerning the case, said there was “substantial evidence that the judicial process may have been impugned” by incorrect information provided to the Supreme Court. In a letter dated March 29, Sen. Leahy (D- VT) asked Attorney General Eric Holder to explain whether the policy did exist in 2009, and whether it did today.

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