Stimulus Checks and Who Should NOT Get Them!
Tens of millions of people (not just US Citizens) received “stimulus” checks from the federal government in April. A series of problems with out who actually received and did not receive these checks is causing quite the uproar in the halls of Congress (and of course in the White House). Anyone with a valid social security number, regardless of their actual immigration status received a check, IF they had filed a 2018 or 2019 tax return, or had gone to the IRS website and registered to receive it. This mean that tens of thousands of foreign workers physically outside the US received these checks, as they had filed 2018 or 2019 tax returns, even though they were no longer in the U.S. Actually worse that that is that millions of US Citizens did NOT receive a check because a member of their their family counted as a principal or dependent on their actual tax returns filed with a Tax ID number, rather than a Social Security Number. Read below for details.
With the COVID-19 crisis upon us, the government agencies dealing with immigration are constantly issuing important updates. We will keep you alerted to all of the breaking news here through our newsletter.
At Kuck Baxter Immigration, we are dedicated to providing you up to the minute information through Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, our Blog, and our Podcast. Don’t forget to check these out, and don’t hesitate to send your questions or comments. Information and knowledge are power.
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Upcoming Events and Kuck Baxter Immigration Media
We have been doing daily Facebook Live events every day on the Kuck Baxter Immigration Facebook Page, in both English and Spanish. You are always welcome to stop by and ask your questions live or send a private facebook message.
During normal times, we regularly speak at community events, continuing legal education seminars, Human Resource conferences, and at universities and colleges around the US. If you would like us to speak to your group for free, let us know! Also, check out our website and come on out to an event! We also do a Facebook live every week, in both English and Spanish, every Friday at 2 pm. Follow us on our Facebook page and catch the action! You can also follow us on our YouTube page, which has hundreds of videos encompassing every immigration topic.
Have You Checked Out Our Blog and our Podcast?
Our Blog is updated each week with information, breaking news, and answers to questions you need to know!
You can also listen to our Top 50 rated podcast, “The Immigration Hour” podcast, that we post each Tuesday. The last episode talked in detail about teh administration’s Immigration Response to the COVID-19 Crisis. Download it and listen at your leisure. If you have comments on the podcast, or topics you would like us to talk about on The Immigration Hour, let us know!
Here is the Immigration News You NEED to Know Now
UP-TO-DATE IMMIGRATION NEWS
USCIS Issues Temporary COVID-19-Related Policy for I-9 List B Identity Docs Following DHS Deferral of I-9 Physical Presence Requirements – As of May 1, 2020, identity documents in List B with expiration dates on or after March 1, 2020, and not otherwise extended by the issuing authority “may be treated the same as if the employee presented a valid receipt for an acceptable document for Form I-9 purposes.”
USCIS Issues Reminder on New Form I-9, Releases New Handbook for Employers – As of May 1, 2020, employers can use only the new form with a 10/21/2019 edition date.
USCIS Extends Flexibilities for Responses to Certain Requests – Included are responses to Requests for Evidence, Continuations to Request Evidence (N-14), Notices of Intent to Deny, Notices of Intent to Revoke, Notices of Intent to Rescind and to Terminate, and filing date requirements for Form I-290B, Notice of Appeal or Motion.
Thousands of Foreign Workers Mistakenly Receive U.S. Stimulus Checks – According to numerous anecdotal reports, the IRS incorrectly sent $1,200 stimulus checks to thousands of foreign workers, many living outside of the United States.
Global: Schengen Area – A new regulation applies to all third-country nationals who need a visa for intended stays in the territory of the European Union Member States not exceeding 90 days in any 180-day period.
Government Agency Links
Follow these links to access current processing times of the USCIS Service Centers and the Department of Labor, and the Department of State’s latest Visa Bulletin with the most recent cut-off dates for visa numbers:
USCIS Service Center processing times online: https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/
Department of State Visa Bulletin:
Visa application wait times for any post: https://travel.state.gov/
Kuck Baxter Immigration — In The News
Charles Kuck was featured on Univision’s Conexion show discussing, “What is the Impact of Trump’s Executive Order Limiting Legal Immigration?” The video is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Charles Kuck spoke to 11 Alive News in Atlanta on how the Trump Immigration Proclamation will impact Immigration Applicants: https://www.11alive.com/
Charles Kuck’s Tweet about the inclarity of the Immigration Proclamation and what that has meant for everyday applicants: https://www.aljazeera.com/
Charles Kuck spoke to BuzzFeed News about helping people understand what IS and what IS NOT impacted by the Trump Proclamation: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/
Charles Kuck had an editorial published in the Atlanta Journal Constitution calling for the reinstatement of DACA by the Trump Administration:
Charles Kuck talked about the impact on immigrant families of the Covid-19 Crisis with the Atlanta Journal Constitution: https://www.ajc.com/news/
Charles Kuck‘s comments were featured in an article on H-1Bs with Brietbart (not the place you might normally see a pro-immigration lawyer being quoted!): https://www.breitbart.com/
Charles Kuck participated in Georgia Public Broadcasting’s “Political Rewind” to talk about immigrants in detention and who they are being impacted by the current situation (and also about other “hot” political topics of the day) : https://www.gpbnews.org/post/
Charles Kuck has released several new podcasts for the #ImmigrationHour. “COVID-19 and USCIS, ICE, and EOIR–How to NOT respond to a crisis. https://soundcloud.com/user-
Kuck Baxter Immigration LLC published its US legal guide for Corporate Immigration. It can be found at https://iclg.com/practice-
Member/Firm News
Kuck Baxter Immigration LLC has an office in Adel, Georgia, near the Irwin, Folkston, and Stewart Detention Centers, which hold more than 6,000 detained immigrants. The new office is managed by our Senior Counsel Elizabeth Matherne, the former Director for the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Irwin Detention Project.
We have changed the location of our podcast–The Immigration Hour— to Stitcher. We are entering our 13th year of continuous broadcasts. Listen each week for our latest take on immigration and immigration law!
You can follow us on Twitter @KuckBaxter or @CKuck
You can also get constantly updated news on our Facebook page.
Feel free to reach out with any questions or for help in your immigration case at 404-816-8611 or immigration@immigration.net.
