The Biden Administration announced a new policy on international travelers – easing pandemic travel restrictions to allow fully vaccinated travelers to enter the U.S. beginning in November 2021. Limited exceptions will be available but those who are exempted from the vaccine requirement may be required to be vaccinated upon arrival. Enhanced contact tracing will be implemented along with the continuation of mask requirements.
Read below for more on this and the other immigration news of the day.
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Here is the Immigration News You NEED to Know Now
UP-TO-DATE IMMIGRATION NEWS
Biden Admin Announces New Policy: Vaccines, Testing Required for International Travelers to United States– The Biden administration will ease pandemic travel restrictions to allow fully vaccinated travelers to enter the United States beginning in November 2021.
USCIS Extends Flexibility for Responding to Agency Requests– The flexibility, extended in response to the ongoing pandemic, applies to certain documents if the issuance date listed on the request, notice, or decision is between March 1, 2020, and January 15, 2022, inclusive.
EB-5 Regional Center Program Lapse Strands Investors – According to a new report, the lapse is hurting more than 32,000 stranded EB-5 investors, putting at least $15 billion in capital investment and more than 486,900 U.S. jobs in jeopardy.
Non-U.S. Citizens Can Now Apply for SSNs on I-765 or I-485, SSA Says – Non-U.S. citizens can apply for a Social Security number (SSN) or replacement SSN card on the same forms used to apply for permission to work in the United States or for lawful permanent resident status. They no longer need to apply directly via the SSA.
CIS Ombudsman Shares Tips on Submitting DACA Renewal Requests – DHS announced the CIS Ombudsman’s tips for submitting a request to USCIS to renew Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.
CBP Announces Extension of Temporary Restrictions on Travelers Crossing U.S. Land Borders – Non-essential travel will continue to be restricted across the U.S.-Canada and Mexico land borders through October 21, 2021.
DHS Announces New Strategy in Response to Migrant Surge at U.S.-Mexico Border – Activities include, among other things, moving migrants to other processing locations; accelerating the pace of removal flights to Haiti and other destinations; reducing crowding and improving conditions for migrants on U.S. soil; and directing appropriate U.S. agencies to work with the Haitian and other regional governments to provide assistance and support to detainees.
GAO Faults USCIS for Insufficient Efforts to Address Backlogs – The GAO noted that policy changes, longer forms, staffing issues, and delays from COVID-19 have all contributed to longer processing times.
For details on these news briefs,click here!
New Publications and Items of Interest
New E-Verify feature. A new E-Verify feature, myUploads, allows employees to upload required documents in JPEG, PNG, or PDF formats to help resolve Tentative Nonconfirmations (TNCs). Employees can access their myE-Verify accounts by logging into their USCIS online accounts and uploading the requested documents. They can still use fax or mail to submit documents if they prefer. The employer should provide the Further Action Notice (FAN) to the affected employee, discuss the TNC privately with the employee, and allow the employee to decide whether he or she will contest the TNC. The FAN includes the steps for using myUploads to help resolve a DHS TNC. Once uploaded, the employee must call the number on the FAN to resolve the case.https://myeverify.uscis.gov/
New SAVE features. Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) is enhancing its case search capabilities, including improved usability through a search bar and other features, and a more robust case search engine. SAVE will notify users by email at least three weeks before the go-live date for enhancements. https://save.uscis.gov/web/
Helpful Links:
- Coronavirus.gov: Primary federal site for general coronavirus information
- USA.gov/coronavirus: Catalog of U.S. government’s response to coronavirus
- CDC.gov/coronavirus: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention information
- American Immigration Lawyers Association: https://www.aila.org/advo-
media/issues/all/covid-19 (links to practice alerts on this site are restricted to members) - NAFSA: https://www.nafsa.org/
regulatory-information/ coronavirus-critical-resources
Immigration Agency Information
Department of Homeland Security:DHS.gov/coronavirus
- https://www.dhs.gov/
coronavirus-news-updates - https://www.dhs.gov/news/2020/
03/17/fact-sheet-dhs-notice- arrival-restrictions-china- iran-and-certain-countries- europe
USCIS: USCIS.gov/coronavirus
ICE:
- Overview and FAQs: https://www.ice.gov/
coronavirus - Requirements for ICE Detention Facilities: https://www.ice.gov/doclib/
coronavirus/eroCOVID19response - ReqsCleanFacilities.pdf
CBP:
- Updates and Announcements:https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/
coronavirus - Accessing I-94 Information: https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/
home
Department of Labor:
- Office of Foreign Labor Certification:
- OFLC Announcements (COVID-19 announcements included here): https://www.foreignlaborcert.
doleta.gov/ - COVID-19 FAQs:
- § Round 1 (Mar. 20, 2020): https://www.foreignlaborcert.
doleta.gov/pdf/DOL-OFLC_COVID- 19_FAQs_Round%201_03.20.2020. pdf - § Round 2 (Apr. 1, 2020): https://www.foreignlaborcert.
doleta.gov/pdf/DOL-OFLC_COVID- 19_FAQs_Round%202_04.01.2020. pdf - § Round 3 (Apr. 9, 2020): https://www.foreignlaborcert.
doleta.gov/pdf/DOL-OFLC_COVID- 19_FAQs_Round%203.pdf
State Department:https://www.state.gov/
- Travel advisories: https://travel.state.gov/
content/travel/en/ traveladvisories/ea/covid-19- information.html - Country-specific information: https://travel.state.gov/
content/travel/en/ traveladvisories/COVID-19- Country-Specific-Information. html - J-1 exchange visitor information: https://j1visa.state.gov/
covid-19/
Justice Department
- Executive Office for Immigration Review: https://www.justice.gov/eoir/
eoir-operational-status- during-coronavirus-pandemic
Agency Twitter Accounts
- EOIR: @DOJ_EOIR
- ICE: @ICEgov
- Study in the States: @StudyinStates
- USCIS: @USCIS
Immigrant and employee rights webinars. The Department of Justice’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER), of the Civil Rights Division, is offering a number of free webinars for workers, employers, and advocates. For more information, see https://www.justice.gov/crt/
E-Verify webinar schedule. E-Verify has released its calendar of webinars at https://www.e-verify.gov/
NFor Details on these and other topics, click www.immigration.net!
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/
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 quoted in the Atlanta Journal and Consitution in relation to his client Grammy-winning Atlanta-based rapper, 21 Savage, “These manufactured charges are yet another example of how our justice system, from ICE down to the local level, unjustly targets young Black men who seek to exercise their rights,” he said in a statement. “There is no legitimate basis for these charges nor for ICE’s continued antics, and we will fight until Mr. Joseph is justly vindicated.” https://www.ajc.com/news/
Charles Kuck was quoted by CNN in “Labor Shortages Expected to Continue as Employers Struggle With Visa Bureaucracy and Covid.” Mr. Kuck said, “Our immigration system is so outdated and so unresponsive to the needs of the 21st century, it’s literally doing economic damage to our country. I think employers are realizing, ‘I’m not going to get these people back.’ ” The article also discusses the H-2B visa, for which the fiscal year cap stands at 66,000, with 33,000 for workers starting employment October 1 to March 31, and 33,000 for those employed April 1 to September 30. https://www.cbs58.com/news/
Charles Kuck was quoted by Bloomberg Law in “Their Papers Mired in Pandemic Backlog, Visa Seekers Go to Court.” Mr. Kuck said that delays abroad have prompted EB-5 immigrant investors to join a third class-action lawsuit that was filed last month. https://news.bloomberglaw.com/
Kuck Baxter Immigration LLC published its US legal guide for Corporate Immigration. It can be found at https://iclg.com/practice-
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 Partner 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
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Feel free to reach out with any questions or for help in your immigration case at 404-816-8611 or immigration@immigration.net.
