On April 25, 2019, the United State Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts announced charges against a local judge and a court officer for helping an alien who was in the United States illegally escape the court building without being apprehended by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
On April 8, 2019, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) published the Immigrant Visa Bulletin for May 2019. The Visa Bulletin for May 2019 contains filing dates and final action dates for filing for immigrant visas based on approved immigrant visa petitions in the employment-based and family-sponsored preference categories for that month. On April 15, 2019, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) determined that adjustment of status applicants with approved family-sponsored petitions must use the Visa Bulletin’s more favorable filing dates whereas those with approved employment-based petitions must use the final action dates for May 2019.
On June 1, 2019, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will end its Form Request Line service. The Form Request Line allowed individuals to order USCIS forms by phone.
On April 15, 2019, Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin McAleenan designated John P. Saunders as the senior official performing the functions and duties of the Commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
On April 22, 2019, President Donald Trump issued a presidential memorandum titled “Presidential Memorandum on Combating High Nonimmigrant Overstay Rates.” President Trump issued the Memorandum to direct the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security, to develop policies to address countries with large numbers of nationals who overstay their visas.
On April 7, 2019, President Donald Trump announced that Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen will soon be leaving her position. He added that he will appoint the Commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Kevin McAleenan, to serve as the acting Secretary of Homeland Security.
Several outlets have reported that the United States Department of State (DOS) revoked the visa of Fatou Bensouda, the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC). She is a citizen and national of The Gambia.
On April 5, 2019, President Donald Trump announced that he had withdrawn the nomination of Ronald D. Vitiello for director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Vitiello is currently serving as Acting Director of ICE.
On April 5, 2019, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it has received a sufficient number of petitions to reach the 65,000 H1B visa regular cap for FY 2020. The USCIS will now move to determine whether it has also received a sufficient number of petitions to reach the 20,000 H1B visa U.S. advanced degree exemption, more commonly known as the “master’s cap.”
