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A MESSAGE FROM SISKIND, SUSSER, HAAS & DEVINE
The end of the millennium is on everyone’s minds these days and it is still hard to comprehend that the momentous New Year’s Eve is almost here.  There seems to be an immigration twist to many of the world important events and even a celebration like the turning of the centuries has consequences. Immigration practitioners have already been thinking about Y2K for several years as demand surged for overseas technology workers to help address the well-known millennium computer problems. The cap on H-1B visas has run out early for the last three years. Predictions are that the cap will be hit even earlier this coming year possibly. If Y2K computer problems are anything other than extremely mild, the lack of computer workers in this country could have dire consequences. In this issue, we report extensively on the H-1B cap. 
The new millennium will also have an immediate impact on US consulates around the world. Consulates will not be processing immigrant and non-immigrant visas in early January in order to allocate staff to dealing with potential Y2K emergencies for Americans overseas. The State Department is also issuing an unusual terrorist warning to Americans around the world and they are no doubt going to be very busy assisting Americans in dealing with this dangerous development. The threat of terrorism is also having an impact on the movement of people in and out of the US. The US has tightened security at the border with Canada and Mexico in the wake of the capture of an Algerian man attempting to smuggle explosives into the US.  Officials are concerned that terrorists will attempt to commit acts of atrocity to coincide with millennium celebrations. 
Rumors are also circulating around the globe that the US will grant amnesty to any people in the US on January 1st as part of America’s millennium celebration. There is a similar rumor that people in England in that nation’s Millennium Dome will be granted British residency. As we report later in this issue, both rumors are completely false. 
Immigration-related matters are also dominating the headlines beyond the Y2K questions. It has been some time since Americans discussed US asylum rules in everyday conversation. But the plight of a 6 year old Cuban boy found floating off the coast of South Florida has ignited tensions between the US and Cuba not seen in years.  Coincidentally, a standoff between Cuban INS detainees has forced important behind the scenes negotiations between Cuban and American officials regarding the deportations of Cubans. We discuss all of these stories as well as dozens of other news items and our regular features in this month’s issue. 
In firm developments, we are also excited to announce that SSHD has reached agreement to provide immigration content to two of the most important web sites on the Internet. Starting this month, Greg Siskind will be hosting live chat sessions on Monster.com, the largest career site on the Internet. SSHD will also write immigration related stories for Monster.com. We provide all of the details in the story immediately following this one. Beginning this month, we will also be a content partner on Silicon Valley Bank’s eSource site. eSource is a password accessible web site providing a wide assortment of business-related content for SVB’s 6000 computer and biotech company clients.   
Finally, this last monthly bulletin of 1999 will be our last monthly publication - beginning in the first week of January 2000 we will begin publishing the newsletter on a weekly basis. In this way we will be able to bring our readers news when it is more timely. 
And, as always, we remind our readers that this publication is produced by SSHD, a law firm serving clients in all 50 states as well as Canada. Readers are welcome to request telephone or in person consultations with our firm’s lawyers. Just go to http://www.visalaw.com/intake.html to learn more. We are normally able to schedule appointments within two business days of making a request. 
Warm regards, 
Greg Siskind and Amy Ballentine