Link: https://www.uscis.gov/news/news-releases/uscis-modifies-h-1b-selection-process-to-prioritize-wages

Law IMM Analysis: The USCIS has announced that it is publishing a final rule that would change the previous H-1B cap lottery selection process by replacing the previous random drawing of H-1B cap petitions and instead assign H-1B visa numbers based on the Department of Labor’s Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) wage-tier level system.

Law IMM Analysis: Citing the need to continue to protect the U.S. labor workforce during the coronavirus pandemic outbreak, the Trump
Administration has announced that it has extended the suspension of visa issuances for various immigrant and nonimmigrant visas at least through March 31, 2021.

Link : https://www.cbsnews.com/news/daca-restoration-order-immigration-applicants/

Law IMM Analysis: Judge Nicholas Garaufis of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York has ruled that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security must post public notice no later than Monday, December 7, 2020 that DHS will begin to accept first-time Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) applications, renewal requests, and advanced parole travel documents on the terms that existed before September 5, 2017, which is when the current administration tried to end the DACA program.

Link: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/proclamation-suspension-entry-nonimmigrants-certain-students-researchers-peoples-republic-china/

Law IMM Analysis:

President Trump has announced the U.S. will block certain Chinese nationals associated with entities in China that are part of China’s military-civil fusion strategy from coming to the U.S. by using
F-1 student or J-1 exchange visitor visas.

Link: https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-processes-and-procedures/visa-availability-priority-dates/when-file-your-adjustment-status-application-family-sponsored-or-employment-based-preference-visas-june-2020

Law IMM Analysis:

For the June 2020 Visa Bulletin just published by the U.S. Department of State, the USCIS has decided to continue to follow the previous months’ filing procedure and set that for family-sponsored filings, filers should once again follow the Dates for Filing Chart for the June 2020 Visa Bulletin.

Link: https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/uscis-offices-preparing-reopen-june-4

Law IMM Analysis:

USCIS has announced that it is further extending the temporary suspension of all in-person services at its field offices, asylum offices, and application support centers (ASCs), and it preparing to re-open its offices on or after June 4 2020, unless the public closures are further extended. Previously, the suspension of services was through May 3, 2020.

Link: https://www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo

Law IMM Analysis:

Following the much-delayed release of the May 2020 Visa Bulletin by the U.S. Department of State, the USCIS has decided to continue following the previous months’ filing procedure and set that for family-sponsored filings, filers should once again follow the Dates for Filing Chart for the May 2020 Visa Bulletin.

Link: https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/uscis-temporary-office-closure-extended-until-least-may-3

Law IMM Analysis:

USCIS has announced that it is further extending the temporary suspension of all in-person services at its field offices, asylum offices, and application support centers (ASCs), and it will re-open its offices on May 4, 2020, unless the public closures are further extended.

Links: https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/h-1b-initial-electronic-registration-selection-process-completed

LAW IMM Analysis:

USCIS has announced that it has received sufficient H-1B quota registrations for the fiscal year 2021, and it has also conducted the random selection/lottery drawing of those registrations. The USCIS also confirmed that it has notified the H-1B petitioners with selected registrations regarding the next steps to take, including the submission of H-1B quota petitions, starting on April 1, 2020 and lasting through at least June 30, 2020.

Links: https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/uscis-continue-processing-applications-employment-authorization-extension-requests-despite-application-support-center-closures

LAW IMM Analysis:

USCIS has announced that it will reuse the previously submitted biometrics so that it can continue to process and adjudicate the validly filed Form I-765 Employment Authorization Document (EAD) extension requests, even in light of the temporary closure of the USCIS Application Support Centers (ASCs) to the public due to the current COVID-19 crisis.

Links: https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/uscis-announces-flexibility-requests-evidence-notices-intent-deny

LAW IMM Analysis:

In response to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, the USCIS has announced that it is adopting a more flexible approach to those applicants and petitioners who have to respond to Requests for Further Evidence (RFEs), and Notices of Intent to Deny (NOID) that are issued between March 1, 2020 through May 1, 2020.

Links: https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/uscis-temporary-office-closure-extended-until-least-april-7

LAW IMM Analysis:

USCIS has announced that it is extending the temporary suspension of all in-person services at its field offices, asylum offices, and application support centers (ASCs), and it will re-open its offices on April 7, 2020, unless the public closures are further extended. Previously, the suspension of services was through April 1, 2020.

Link:https://www.uscis.gov/working-united-states/temporary-workers/uscis-announces-temporary-suspension-premium-processing-all-i-129-and-i-140-petitions-due-coronavirus-pandemic

LAW IMM Analysis:

USCIS has announced that effective immediately (Friday, March 20, 2020), it will suspend premium processing services for all Form I-129 and I-140 petitions due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. This suspension means that USCIS will not accept premium/expedited requests for all the employment-based immigrant and non-immigrant petitions. This suspension will last until further notice and for the immediate future.