Immigration Blog

Alexander J. Segal's picture

The Supreme Court Grants Review of DAPA Case

The Supreme Court has granted review of the Fifth Circuit's decision to uphold an injunction against the DAPA program. In this blog post, I will explain what this development means, and the unusual decision by the Supreme Court to add an issue to the case which was not decided by the Fifth Circuit.

Alexander J. Segal's picture

Donald Trump and Amnesty

Donald Trump's rise to the top of the Republican polls — where he sits with less than a week remaining before the first votes are cast — has been punctuated by his incoherent and inhumane immigration proposals. While I am loath to give Trump more attention than he already has, I will use my perspective as an immigration attorney and a Republican primary voter to analyze Trump's immigration platform. For this post, I will explain how Trump effectively supports immigration amnesty simultaneously with his proposal for mass deportation. Furthermore, I will look at how his views on how to handle people who are here illegally have shifted dramatically within the past five years.

Alexander J. Segal's picture

February 2016 Visa Bulletin

The Department of State (DOS) released the visa bulletin for February of 2016. The Visa Bulletin shows when the person who is the beneficiary of a family-sponsored or employment-based immigrant visa petition may file a Form I-485 for an immigrant visa.

Alexander J. Segal's picture

My Thoughts on Implementation of Changes to the Visa Waiver Program

On January 21, 2016, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced policies to begin implementing the changes to the Visa Waiver Program that were signed into law in December of 2015. In this post, I will explain what DHS has announced and offer my thoughts on its policies, especially with regard to waiver consideration for people who do business in Iran.

Alexander J. Segal's picture

New Rules for EB1B, E3, H1B1, and CW1

On January 15, 2016, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) posted new final rules to the Federal Register (81 FR 2068, 1/15/16). The new rules will affect the EB1B immigrant visa preference category and the H1B1, E3, and CW1 nonimmigrant visa categories. In this post, we will examine all of the new rules in 81 FR 2068.

Alexander J. Segal's picture

Notes on November Q&A Between the National Benefits Center and AILA

On November 3, 2015, the USCIS National Benefits Center (NBC) conducted a question and answer session with the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). In this post, I will briefly look at some of the more interesting points from the Q&A.

Alexander J. Segal's picture

Texas City Councilman Accused of Alien Smuggling

I recently came across a story of a politician accused of flaunting our immigration laws so egregiously that I think Republicans, Democrats, and the unaffiliated will be able to unite in calling this a bona fide example of a politician damaging our immigration system. KENS 5 Eyewitness News in San Antonio reports that Marco Antonio Rodriguez, a City Councilman from Crystal City, Texas, was arrested for allegedly smuggling three undocumented aliens into the United States.

Alexander J. Segal's picture

New York Standardizes Its Attorney Disciplinary Process

On December 30, 2015, the New York Office of Court Administration announced new rules for attorney discipline to create a “harmonized approach” throughout the state. The revised rules, which will become effective on July 1, 2016, are found in 22 NYCRR part 1240.

Alexander J. Segal's picture

DOL Releases H2B Labor Certification Program Statistics for FY 2015

The Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration released its OFLC H2B statistics from the fourth quarter of FY 2015 (through September 30). The document provides statistics for the H2B Temporary Non-Agricultural Labor Certification Program. It includes statistics for the number of applications received and processed, as well as the top occupations, states, and employers by positions certified.

Alexander J. Segal's picture

DOL Releases H2A Labor Certification Program Statistics for FY 2015

The Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration released its OFLC H2A statistics from the fourth quarter of FY 2015 (through September 30). The document provides statistics for the H2A Temporary Agricultural Labor Certification Program. It includes statistics for the number of applications received and processed, and the top states, employers, and crops by number of workers certified in FY 2015.

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