H1B Visa Lawyer Blog

November 26, 2014

Expanded DACA – Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (Widening the Reach)

On November 20, 2014, the President of the United States announced that several key eligibility requirements under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) would be revised to encompass a larger amount of qualified DREAMERS. Additionally, this expansion of the DACA program will be for a period of three years, not two years. DACA remains subject to renewal. As a result of the deferred action, the applicant may be eligible for work authorization.

As the USCIS has done in the past, determinations will be made on a case-by-case basis. Individuals must prove through documentation that they meet the guidelines for deferred action. Anyone who is granted deferred action is not a lawful US citizen, nor a Lawful Permanent Resident. No permanent legal status is provided through DACA. DACA is only a temporary grant of relief from deportation.

You may request consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals if you*:

November 25, 2014

Impact of New Americans – Missouri, Montana, Nebraska & Nevada

by Kellie N. Lego

Immigration Policy Center Releases Updated State-by-State Fact Sheets (2014)

The Immigration Policy Center (IPC) has released all fifty states, the District of Columbia and the United States (Overall), for a total of fifty-two updated fact sheets with accompanying info graphics and other details. These fact sheets highlight the demographic and economic impact of Immigrants, Asians and Latinos in each state. The Immigration Policy Center (IPC) is the research and policy division of the American Immigration Council (AIC).

As Washington D.C. continues the discussion of Comprehensive Immigration Reform, we thought that it would be a good time to provide some statistics on the Immigrant population in the United States as provided by this IPC research. Once a week we will be posting a blog with information on four states at a time. This week we will highlight; Missouri, Montana, Nebraska & Nevada.

November 24, 2014

H-2B Cap Count UPDATE – 11/17/14

by Kellie N. Lego

The H-2B non-agricultural temporary worker program allows U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary non-agricultural jobs.

The H-2B cap limit for first half of FY 2015 (October 1 – March 31) is 33,000. As of the last count (11/17/14); 11,128 beneficiaries have been approved and 1,530 are pending for a total of 12,658.

The H-2B cap limit for second half of FY 2015 (April 1 – September 30) is 33,000. As of the last count (11/17/14); 0 beneficiaries have been approved and 0 are pending for a total of 0.

November 21, 2014

The President’s Immigration Accountability Executive Actions

by Kellie N. Lego

On Thursday, November 20, 2014, President Barack Obama announced his Temporary Plans to fix our broken immigration system.

The President’s Immigration Accountability Executive Actions will help secure the border, hold nearly 5 million undocumented immigrants accountable and ensure that everyone plays by the same rules.

As an Immigration Attorney, I see the results of our broken system every day and in the absence of Congressional action, the President had to act. While a lot of the details are still waiting to be filled in, we know that many of these changes will make a real impact. We are aware that these initiatives are not going to help everyone, as not everyone will be eligible. Therefore, we need to continue to pressure Congress into finishing the job by passing a bipartisan Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill.

November 21, 2014

MVP LAW GROUP – Immigration Q&A Forum, Friday, November 21, 2014

by Kellie N. Lego

MVP Law Group, P.A. makes available the information and materials in this forum for informational purposes only. The information is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice or any contractual obligations. Further, the use of this site, and the sending or receipt of this information, does not create an attorney-client relationship between us. Therefore, your communication with us through this forum will not be considered as privileged or confidential.

Question #1 – NAFTA

I am on a TD visa in the US. Can I get a work permit?

November 20, 2014

FINALLY Taking Action on Immigration – President Obama is Expected to Address the Nation Tonight!

by Kellie N. Lego

The White House Blog and White House Facebook page posted an announcement yesterday that on Thursday, November 20th at 8 p.m. ET, President Obama will lay out the Executive Actions he’s planning on taking to fix America’s broken Immigration system. The Nation can watch LIVE at WhiteHouse.gov/Live, and more than likely every major television news channel will also be carrying his address.

President Obama stated, “Everybody agrees that our immigration system is broken. Unfortunately, Washington has allowed the problem to fester for too long.” Further, he said, “So what I’m going to be laying out is the things that I can do with my lawful authority as President to make the system work better even as I continue to work with Congress and encourage them to get a bipartisan, comprehensive bill that can solve the entire problem”.

Exactly WHAT the President will do remains unknown, as there is much speculation about whom and how many people may benefit from the President’s Executive Action. We must wait as a Nation to hear of the details, as they have not been released to the Public.

November 19, 2014

Impact of New Americans – Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota & Mississippi

by Kellie N. Lego

Immigration Policy Center Releases Updated State-by-State Fact Sheets (2014)

The Immigration Policy Center (IPC) has released all fifty states, the District of Columbia and the United States (Overall), for a total of fifty-two updated fact sheets with accompanying info graphics and other details. These fact sheets highlight the demographic and economic impact of Immigrants, Asians and Latinos in each state. The Immigration Policy Center (IPC) is the research and policy division of the American Immigration Council (AIC).

As Washington D.C. continues the discussion of Comprehensive Immigration Reform, we thought that it would be a good time to provide some statistics on the Immigrant population in the United States as provided by this IPC research. Once a week we will be posting a blog with information on four states at a time. This week we will highlight; Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota & Mississippi.

November 18, 2014

Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) Processing Times – 11/1/14

by Kellie N. Lego

Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) Processing Times were released with processing dates as of 11/1/14.

If you filed an appeal, please review the link below to determine the applicable processing time associated with your particular case.

Administrative Appeals Office

November 17, 2014

MVP “Immigration Q & A Forum” – This Friday, November 21, 2014

by Kellie N. Lego

We wanted to find a new way to engage our reader base. Every other Friday, we will post the ten (10) best/most frequently asked questions received during the week from our h1bvisalawyerblog, Facebook, and Twitter readers. We will answer those questions and provide the Q&A on our H-1B Visa Lawyer Blog.

If you have a burning question, are seeking assistance with a difficult immigration related case, wish to discuss your views on Comprehensive Immigration Reform, DREAMers, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, priority dates, the monthly visa bulletin, adjustment applications, etc., please contact us by submitting your question/comment/viewpoint in our comment box provided on our H-1B Visa Lawyer Blog.

Our next “Q & A Forum” will take place this Friday, November 21, 2014. Act now and submit your questions!

November 14, 2014

Impact of New Americans – Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine & Maryland

by Kellie N. Lego

Immigration Policy Center Releases Updated State-by-State Fact Sheets (2014)

The Immigration Policy Center (IPC) has released all fifty states, the District of Columbia and the United States (Overall), for a total of fifty-two updated fact sheets with accompanying info graphics and other details. These fact sheets highlight the demographic and economic impact of Immigrants, Asians and Latinos in each state. The Immigration Policy Center (IPC) is the research and policy division of the American Immigration Council (AIC).

As Washington D.C. continues the discussion of Comprehensive Immigration Reform, we thought that it would be a good time to provide some statistics on the Immigrant population in the United States as provided by this IPC research. Once a week we will be posting a blog with information on four states at a time. This week we will highlight; Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine & Maryland.