Category Archives: Immigration

The migrant crisis at the border between the United States and Mexico has ignited political discord at the highest levels of Congress over the last two years, but there’s another aspect of this phenomenon that merits discussion. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, most of the migrants who arrived at the southern border as part of caravans …Read More

In late 2023, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced an update to its myProgress tool, an online platform that will eventually replace the Check Case Processing Times web page and perhaps merge with the Case Status Online tool, which you can currently access with or without a myUSCIS account. The new USCIS myProgress …Read More

In late 2023, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced a plan to allow undocumented migrants to obtain healthcare services through the state’s Medi-Cal program. A similar approach is being considered by New York City for 2024. These developments caught the attention of lawmakers such as United States Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who issued a press …Read More

Some of the most chaotic years in the history of the American immigration system unfolded during the Trump administration. One of the campaign promises that helped to get Trump elected was his idea of a “deportation force” that would bust down doors to round up undocumented immigrants who were facing pending removal proceedings. During these …Read More

Foreigners in the United States are generally classified as immigrants and non-immigrants. Both are subject to laws and rules that determine their legal status. In the case of non-immigrants, such as tourists, students, skilled workers, and artists, their legal status is determined by their admissibility and visa expiration dates. In the case of immigrants, their …Read More

With the introduction of the Dignity Act proposal in June 2023, many questions have emerged about the scope this piece of legislation would have if passed and enacted. The bill offers a path to legal residency for undocumented immigrants who have been in the United States for at least five years. Those who choose to …Read More

The immigration agenda brought to the White House by United States President Joe Biden didn’t include a reform proposal. When asked about this, Biden explained that his long career in the Senate lets him know that comprehensive immigration reform can only be accomplished with a unified government. In other words, his Democratic Party would need …Read More

During the fiscal year 2021, more than 1.4 million visa applications were declined or not approved by the United States Department of State. This represents nearly 9.5 percent of all submissions, which were largely for non-immigrant visa categories, such as skilled workers, tourists, entrepreneurs, students, artists, and a few others. As for the negative adjudications …Read More

Of the various state laws that went into effect in California in January 2023, one of the most interesting is related to the hiring requirements for police officers. Senate Bill 960 eliminated the American citizenship requirement for foreigners who wish to enter police academies in the Golden State. As long as they’re legally authorized to …Read More

The costs associated with processing certain immigration benefits in the United States are set to increase in 2023. According to a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking published by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in January, the proposal may increase fees by more than 100 percent in some cases late this year, and the agency said …Read More