Friday, February 27, 2004
The latest monthly issue of Siskind's Immigration Professional is now online. Click here to see it.
# posted by Greg Siskind @ 10:37 AM
Thursday, February 26, 2004
Attorney Lynn Susser was mentioned in the February 22 edition of USA Today in an article about a family she is representing. Click here to read it.
# posted by Greg Siskind @ 2:40 PM
Tuesday, February 24, 2004
The Department of Labor sent the PERM regulation to the Office of Management and Budget yesterday. OMB has 90 days to approve the regulation or send it back to DOL for further action. The DOL has indicated that the regulation will take effect 120 days after publication. So we can look forward to PERM probably sometime later this summer or in the early fall.
PERM is the much anticipated electronic filing system that DOL has been promising for years. The plan is for most cases to get adjudicated within 21 days and about 1 in 7 cases getting flagged for a more extensive traditional processing. The proposed PERM regulation was roundly criticized not because of the new electronic filing program but because a number of provisions having nothing to do with PERM were included which would make labor certifications much more restrictive. Many considered the PERM regulation to be a "kitchen sink" proposal where the DOL through in a number of provisions previously thrown out by the courts. Whether the final rule took out many of the more controversial provisions is not yet known.
PERM is the much anticipated electronic filing system that DOL has been promising for years. The plan is for most cases to get adjudicated within 21 days and about 1 in 7 cases getting flagged for a more extensive traditional processing. The proposed PERM regulation was roundly criticized not because of the new electronic filing program but because a number of provisions having nothing to do with PERM were included which would make labor certifications much more restrictive. Many considered the PERM regulation to be a "kitchen sink" proposal where the DOL through in a number of provisions previously thrown out by the courts. Whether the final rule took out many of the more controversial provisions is not yet known.
# posted by Greg Siskind @ 11:06 PM
Attorney Greg Siskind wrote a column in the February 15 edition of IndUS Business Journal about finding an appropriate immigration lawyer. Click here to read it.
# posted by Greg Siskind @ 5:11 PM
Here's the table of contents for this week's Siskind's Immigration Bulletin. Click here to get to any of the articles.
1. Openers
2. The ABC's Of Immigration: The H-1B Cap
3. Ask Visalaw.com
4. Border News
5. News From The Courts
6. Government Processing Times
7. News Bytes
8. International Roundup
9. Legislative Update
10. Campaign 2004
11. Senate Judiciary Committee to Debate Three Guest-Worker Bills
12. HHS Releases New Poverty Guidelines
13. Immigrants Need to be Wary in Seeking Help to Obtain Benefits
14. DHS Now Supports Gender Asylum Policy
1. Openers
2. The ABC's Of Immigration: The H-1B Cap
3. Ask Visalaw.com
4. Border News
5. News From The Courts
6. Government Processing Times
7. News Bytes
8. International Roundup
9. Legislative Update
10. Campaign 2004
11. Senate Judiciary Committee to Debate Three Guest-Worker Bills
12. HHS Releases New Poverty Guidelines
13. Immigrants Need to be Wary in Seeking Help to Obtain Benefits
14. DHS Now Supports Gender Asylum Policy
# posted by Greg Siskind @ 9:57 AM
Monday, February 23, 2004
We've posted the processing times for the following service centers: California, Vermont and the National Benefits Center in Missouri. Click here to see them.
# posted by Greg Siskind @ 12:39 PM
We've posted the latest processing times for the Texas Service Center. Click here to see them.
# posted by Greg Siskind @ 9:26 AM
Friday, February 20, 2004
Dobbs' Choice - OK, finally some backup for my ongoing contention that CNN's Lou Dobbs is incredibly biased in the way he has covered the immigration story and is no longer making any attempts to treat the topic in any sort of evenhanded way. FAIR, the national media watch dog group (not FAIR - the Federation for American Immigration Reform, the anti-immigrant group), has published a thorough report on how Dobbs is covering immigration in his nightly newscasts (rants is probably the better description).
FAIR's Peter Hart extensively documents that Dobbs has given considerably more air time to anti-immigrant advocates, gotten facts wrong numerous times and editorialized over and over again.
We've always contended that Dobbs is entitled to his opinions. But the show should be marketed as a political commentary show like Fox's O'Reilly Report or MSNBC's Scarborough Country instead of a news and analysis show.
FAIR's Peter Hart extensively documents that Dobbs has given considerably more air time to anti-immigrant advocates, gotten facts wrong numerous times and editorialized over and over again.
We've always contended that Dobbs is entitled to his opinions. But the show should be marketed as a political commentary show like Fox's O'Reilly Report or MSNBC's Scarborough Country instead of a news and analysis show.
# posted by Greg Siskind @ 4:37 PM
Thursday, February 19, 2004
Click here to see how we've updated our hot topics page to provide information on the latest immigration news.
# posted by Greg Siskind @ 9:25 AM
Wednesday, February 18, 2004
We've posted the latest processing times for the Nebraska Service Center. Click here to see them.
# posted by Greg Siskind @ 3:44 PM
Here's the table of contents for this month's Visalaw Healthcare Newsletter. Click here to get to any of the articles.
1. Openers
2. Ask Visalaw.com for Health Care Workers
3. Health Care News Bytes
4. Health and Immigration Experts Question Tactics of CGFNS
5. Chart Of Physician Licensing Requirements By State
6. State 30 Physician Waiver Chart
7. Physician Job Center
1. Openers
2. Ask Visalaw.com for Health Care Workers
3. Health Care News Bytes
4. Health and Immigration Experts Question Tactics of CGFNS
5. Chart Of Physician Licensing Requirements By State
6. State 30 Physician Waiver Chart
7. Physician Job Center
# posted by Greg Siskind @ 10:23 AM
Tuesday, February 17, 2004
H-1B cap is Hit
Press Office
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
February 17, 2004
Contact: USCIS, Public Affairs
202-353-8472
Press Release
USCIS ANNOUNCES NEW H-1B PROCEDURES - REACHES CAP
Washington, D.C.-- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that it has received enough H-1B petitions to meet this year's congressionally mandated cap of 65,000 new workers. After today, USCIS will not accept any new H-1B petitions for first-time employment subject to the FY 2004 annual cap.
USCIS has implemented the following procedure for the remainder of FY 2004:
USCIS will process all petitions filed for first-time employment received by the end of business today.
USCIS will return all petitions for first-time employment subject to the annual cap received after the end of business today.
Returned petitions will be accompanied by the filing fee
Petitioners may re-submit their petitions when H-1B visas become available for FY 2005
The earliest date a petitioner may file a petition requesting FY 2005 H-1B employment with an employment start date of October 1, 2004, would be April 1, 2004
Petitions for current H-1B workers do not count towards the congressionally mandated H-1B cap. Accordingly, USCIS will continue to process petitions filed to:
Extend the amount of time a current H-1B worker may remain in the United States
Change the terms of employment for current H-1B workers
Allow current H-1B workers to change employers
Allow current H-1B workers to work concurrently in a second H-1B position
USCIS also notes that petitions for new H-1B employment are not subject to the annual cap if the alien will be employed at an institution of higher education or a related or affiliated nonprofit entity, or at a nonprofit research organization or a governmental research organization. USCIS will also continue to process H-1B petitions for workers from Singapore and Chile consistent with Public Laws 108-77 and 108-78.
On March 1, 2003, U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services became one of three legacy INS components to join the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. USCIS is charged with fundamentally transforming and improving the delivery of immigration and citizenship services, while enhancing our nation's security.
Press Office
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
February 17, 2004
Contact: USCIS, Public Affairs
202-353-8472
Press Release
USCIS ANNOUNCES NEW H-1B PROCEDURES - REACHES CAP
Washington, D.C.-- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that it has received enough H-1B petitions to meet this year's congressionally mandated cap of 65,000 new workers. After today, USCIS will not accept any new H-1B petitions for first-time employment subject to the FY 2004 annual cap.
USCIS has implemented the following procedure for the remainder of FY 2004:
USCIS will process all petitions filed for first-time employment received by the end of business today.
USCIS will return all petitions for first-time employment subject to the annual cap received after the end of business today.
Returned petitions will be accompanied by the filing fee
Petitioners may re-submit their petitions when H-1B visas become available for FY 2005
The earliest date a petitioner may file a petition requesting FY 2005 H-1B employment with an employment start date of October 1, 2004, would be April 1, 2004
Petitions for current H-1B workers do not count towards the congressionally mandated H-1B cap. Accordingly, USCIS will continue to process petitions filed to:
Extend the amount of time a current H-1B worker may remain in the United States
Change the terms of employment for current H-1B workers
Allow current H-1B workers to change employers
Allow current H-1B workers to work concurrently in a second H-1B position
USCIS also notes that petitions for new H-1B employment are not subject to the annual cap if the alien will be employed at an institution of higher education or a related or affiliated nonprofit entity, or at a nonprofit research organization or a governmental research organization. USCIS will also continue to process H-1B petitions for workers from Singapore and Chile consistent with Public Laws 108-77 and 108-78.
On March 1, 2003, U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services became one of three legacy INS components to join the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. USCIS is charged with fundamentally transforming and improving the delivery of immigration and citizenship services, while enhancing our nation's security.
# posted by Greg Siskind @ 7:59 PM
Monday, February 16, 2004
Here's the table of contents for this week's Siskind's Immigration Bulletin. Click here to get to any of the articles.
1. Openers
2. The ABC's Of Immigration: The H-1B Visa
3. Ask Visalaw.com
4. Border News
5. News From The Courts
6. Government Processing Times
7. News Bytes
8. International Roundup
9. Legislative Update
10. Campaign 2004
11. State Department Visa Bulletin – March 2004
12. Guest Article: Staying Close To Home: Off-Shoring, Immigration and A High-Tech H Visa, By Gary Endelman
13. Guest Article: How Korean Passport Law Affects Korean LPRs Temporarily Residing In Korea, by Young H. Noh
14. Conservatives Emphasize Support for Bush Plan
15. Extension Proposed for Looming SSI Deadline
16. Judge Condemns Treatment of Asylees
17. Soldier Becomes US Citizen
1. Openers
2. The ABC's Of Immigration: The H-1B Visa
3. Ask Visalaw.com
4. Border News
5. News From The Courts
6. Government Processing Times
7. News Bytes
8. International Roundup
9. Legislative Update
10. Campaign 2004
11. State Department Visa Bulletin – March 2004
12. Guest Article: Staying Close To Home: Off-Shoring, Immigration and A High-Tech H Visa, By Gary Endelman
13. Guest Article: How Korean Passport Law Affects Korean LPRs Temporarily Residing In Korea, by Young H. Noh
14. Conservatives Emphasize Support for Bush Plan
15. Extension Proposed for Looming SSI Deadline
16. Judge Condemns Treatment of Asylees
17. Soldier Becomes US Citizen
# posted by Greg Siskind @ 5:14 PM
Thursday, February 12, 2004
We've posted the latest State Department Visa Bulletin for March 2004. Click here to read it.
# posted by Greg Siskind @ 9:37 AM
Wednesday, February 11, 2004
Attorney Greg Siskind and Siskind Susser staff member Gilda Bollwerk co-authored an article in La Prensa Latina explaining the Hagel-Daschle proposal (en Espanol). Click here to see the article.
# posted by Greg Siskind @ 12:29 PM
Tuesday, February 10, 2004
Here's the table of contents for this week's Siskind's Immigration Bulletin. Click here to get to any of the articles.
1. Openers
2. The ABC's Of Immigration: Why Become a Citizen?
3. Ask Visalaw.com
4. Border News
5. News From The Courts
6. Government Processing Times
7. News Bytes
8. International Roundup
9. Legislative Update
10. Campaign 2004
11. Republicans Take Action Against Bush's Guest Worker Plan
12. House Democrats Propose Alternative to Bush Plan
13. USCIS Presents FY 2005 Budget Proposal
14. Lawmakers Stirring Up License Issue
1. Openers
2. The ABC's Of Immigration: Why Become a Citizen?
3. Ask Visalaw.com
4. Border News
5. News From The Courts
6. Government Processing Times
7. News Bytes
8. International Roundup
9. Legislative Update
10. Campaign 2004
11. Republicans Take Action Against Bush's Guest Worker Plan
12. House Democrats Propose Alternative to Bush Plan
13. USCIS Presents FY 2005 Budget Proposal
14. Lawmakers Stirring Up License Issue
# posted by Greg Siskind @ 4:50 PM
We have learned today from the American Immigration Lawyers Association that the USCIS will announce tomorrow that the H-1B cap will be hit. Applications not in tomorrow will likely be rejected. 180 days prior to October 1st, applications requesting an October 1st start date will be accepted. We will report further on this issue in our upcoming newsletter.
# posted by Greg Siskind @ 4:16 PM
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