Immigration News  |
| Changes in immigration that impact your life. |
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| DHS Unveils Initiatives to Enhance E-Verify |
| March 17, 2010 |
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| Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano joined U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Alejandro Mayorkas to announce a trio of initiatives to strengthen the efficiency and accuracy of the E-Verify system. |
| Greece Becomes a Member of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) |
| March 10, 2010 |
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| Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano announced the designation of Greece as a member of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) - strengthening passenger information sharing and ensuring strict security standards while streamlining travel for Greek citizens visiting the United States. Greece joins the 35 nations already participating in Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Greek citizens will be able to visit the United States without visas in approximately 30 days. |
| CBP Notice to Postpone H-2A and H-2B Temporary Worker Visa Exit Pilot Program |
| August 25, 2009 |
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| CBP announces the postponement of the commencement date of the H-2A and H-2B Temporary Worker Visa Exit Program Pilot, originally set for August 1, 2009. The pilot program will require temporary workers within H-2A and H-2B nonimmigrant classifications that enter the United States at either the port of San Luis, Arizona or the port of Douglas, Arizona, to depart from one of those ports and to submit certain biographical and biometric information at one of the kiosks established for this purpose. |
| DHS Establishes Interim Relief for Widows of U.S. Citizens |
| June 9, 2009 |
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| U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano today granted deferred action for two years to widows and widowers of U.S. citizens—as well as their unmarried children under 18 years old—who reside in the United States and who were married for less than two years prior to their spouse’s death. |
| DHS Stops Sending All Asylum Applications to DOS |
| April 06, 2009 |
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| DHS published final rule in the Federal Register, effective April 6, 2009, providing that USCIS will no longer forward all affirmative asylum applications to DOS. Instead, USCIS will send affirmative asylum applications to DOS only when USCIS believes DOS may have country conditions information relevant to the case. |
| CBP Reminds Travelers to Obtain I-94 Permit Early for Easter Travel |
| April 01, 2009 |
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| The Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials remind the travelers to Obtain I-94 Permit Early for Easter Travel. The CBP officials in San Diego are anticipating an increase in applications by Mexican travelers for the required I-94 permit during holy week and the Easter holiday. Mexican border crossing card (or “laser visa”) holders who plan to make an extended visit to the United States during the upcoming holiday season are urged to obtain the essential document early instead of waiting until the day of travel, CBP officials announced today. |
| DHS Published Notice of Designating Countries Eligible for H-2B Program |
| February 06 2009 |
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| The DHS, in accordance with its final rule ‘Changes to Requirements Affecting H-2B Nonimmigrants’ published in the Federal Register on December 19, 2008, has published the list of countries that are important for the operation of the H-2B visa program and are cooperative in repatriation of its citizens, subjects, nationals or residents who are subject to a final order of removal from the United States. |
| DHS Secretary Napolitano Issues Immigration and Border Security Action Directive |
| February 03, 2009 |
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| The DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano announced a wide-ranging action directive on immigration and border security. The directive requires specific department offices and components to work together and with state and local partners to review and assess the plans and policies to address: criminal and fugitive aliens; legal immigration benefit backlogs; southbound gun smuggling; cooperation with the National Guard; widows and widowers of U.S. citizens; immigration detention centers; and electronic employee verification. This directive is the last in an initial series on a wide variety of issues impacting the department’s critical missions: Protection, Preparedness, Response, Recovery and Immigration |
| Secretary Napolitano Issues Action Directives on FEMA State and Local Integration and National Planning |
| January 29, 2009 |
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| The DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano announced two action directives, on Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) integration with state and local partners and national planning. These directives instruct specific offices to gather information, review existing strategies and programs, and provide oral and written reports back to her in February. She’ll continue to issue additional action directives in the coming days focused on the missions critical to the department: Protection, Preparedness, Response, Recovery and Immigration. |
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