News

A bipartisan effort in the Senate hopes to retain international graduates who studied advanced science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) at U.S. universities. The proposal streamlines the process of obtaining permanent resident status, or green cards, to retain STEM professionals in the U.S.

USCIS updated the public charge rule in order to simplify the process of addressing questions related to the public charge ground of inadmissibility on Form I-485, the Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status. By streamlining the adjudication process, officers can efficiently gather the necessary information without the need for additional Requests for Evidence.

The majority of Americans believe immigration is good for the country, per a recent Gallup poll. Overall, Americans also prefer to keep immigration at their current levels or higher, rather than lower.

An additional eight degrees are added to the list as qualifying fields of study for F-1 visa holders looking for work in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) added the fields of study to the STEM Designated Degree Program List, expanding options for eligibility to apply for a 24-month extension through the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program.

A Texas federal judge denied a request to delay the bench trial in Texas' challenge to the Biden administration's parole program for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans. The request questions whether a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling affects Texas' standing in the case.

A group of information technology workers is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to review a district court ruling upholding the policy of allowing spouses of H-1B visa holders employment authorization. The basis of their complaint is the U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not have the authority to create the policy.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a new path to citizenship for qualifying individuals from select Central American counties and Columbia. The program starts on July 10, 2023, and gives eligible migrants from Columbia, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras the option to enter the U.S. via air and receive government work permits if the individuals’ relatives are already in the U.S. with legal status and have filed a visa application for them.

Regardless of their immigration status, immigrants in Illinois will soon have the ability to apply for a standard driver’s license to be used for identification. The Governor of Illinois, J.B. Pritzker, signed a law phasing out the “Temporary Visitor Driver’s License” (TVDL) currently available for noncitizens in the state. The new law goes into effect on July 1, 2024.

Canada is creating a streamlined work permit process for U.S.-based H-1B specialty occupation visa holders. As of July 16th, 2023, U.S. H1-B visa holders and their accompanying immediate family members will be eligible to apply to enter Canada.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that both Texas and Louisiana do not possess the necessary standing to challenge President Biden's efforts in prioritizing national security threats and other criteria for immigration arrests and deportations.