On 2 December 2024, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) published an announcement regarding medical reports (I-693 Form). The USCIS announcement focuses upon the I-693 report filed during the permanent residency (“green card”) application process. USCIS now requires that applicants file the I-693 medical report at the same time as […]
Keeping Families Together Parole Program
NOVEMBER 2024 UPDATE REGARDING KEEPING FAMILIES TOGETHER PAROLE On 7 November 2024, a federal court entered judgment in a case impacting the Keeping Families Together program. See State of Texas et al. v. U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security et al., Case No. 6:24-cv-00306. The federal court declared that the Department […]
Fee Waiver: Difficulty Paying USCIS Fees
People may encounter financial difficulties when it is time to pay fees for applications filed with U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services. In some situations, an applicant may qualify for a fee waiver. Applying for immigration benefits in the United States generally requires that the petitioner or applicant pay a fee. […]
Parole Extensions for Afghans
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) announced that the agency will extend the initial parole granted to Afghan children under age 14 on 26 September 2023. The extension applies to Afghan children paroled by Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) between 30 July 2021 through 30 September 2022 with an OAR […]
AILA Advocates to Repeal Matter of Z-R-Z-C
The Administrative Appeals Office issued the Matter of Z-R-Z-C decision on 20 August 2020. This decision decreases green card eligibility for some temporary protected status beneficiaries. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) adopted Matter of Z-R-Z-C as policy guidance for USCIS officers. On 12 May 2022, the American Immigration Lawyers […]
Changes to the Admission Codes for E and L Dependents
Effective 31 January 2022, foreign nationals arriving in E and L dependent status will receive new admission codes on the I-94 Form. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) will admit spouses and children using the following codes. An E-1 spouse’s I-94 Form will show E-1S, and the child’s will state […]
AILA President Discusses Discriminatory Immigration Practices
On 17 February 2022, Allen Orr, the president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (“AILA”), spoke to MSNBC. He talked about the discriminatory and inequitable practices and policies impacting African diaspora migrants seeking relief or benefits in the United States. For example, Mr. Orr specifically identified the United State Government’s […]
Temporary Protected Status
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security authorized temporary protected status for Burmese, Syrians, and Venezuelans a while ago. In early August 2021, the Department of Homeland Security extended the initial registration period for Burmese, Syrian, and Venezuelans eligible to file new applications (I-821 Form) for protected status. Rather than limit […]
Temporary Protected Status for Haitian Nationals
2024 Update Regarding Temporary Protected Status The Department of Homeland Security redesignated temporary protected status for Haitian nationals from 8 August 2024 through 3 February 2026. See 89 Fed. Reg. 54484 (July 1, 2024). For Haiti specific information, applicants may find more information on U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’s temporary […]
Refugee Admissions Processing (Priority 2) for Afghan Refugees
The U.S. State Department designated Afghan refugees as eligible for priority 2 (P-2) processing by the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. The priority 2 designation applies to Afghans, who do not legally qualify for special immigrant visas. The U.S. State Department’s announcement provides guidance as to which Afghans may apply for […]