Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced an extension of the temporary policy that relaxes Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification compliance requirements. The
Continue Reading DHS Extends Form I-9 Flexibility

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has many roles. One includes working with universities and other educational institutions to ensure compliance with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Regulations and Policies. The
Continue Reading ICE Oversight of US Universities, Educational Institutions and Vocational Programs through the SEVP

On July 14, 2020, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agreed to rescind the following modifications to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) exemptions for F-1 and M-1 nonimmigrant
Continue Reading DHS Rescinds Policy Restricting F-1/M-1 Students from Taking Online Courses

As economies worldwide begin to re-open, some companies and individuals are thinking about resuming international travel. If international travel is required for your work or other reasons, be prepared for


Continue Reading July 2020 Travel Advisory, U.S. Embassy/ Consular Services, and COVID-19 Movement Restrictions

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) announced a three-prong approach to ensuring U.S. employers are hiring legally authorized workers. ICE’s strategy focuses on:

  • Compliance, through increased I-9 inspections, civil fines and referrals for debarment from immigration benefit programs like Labor Condition Applications and PERM Labor Certifications;
  • Enforcement, through arrests of not only of workers employed without proper authorization but also of the employers who hire them; and
  • Outreach, through the Ice Mutual Agreement between Government and Employers (IMAGE) program.

Continue Reading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Releases Comprehensive Worksite Enforcement Strategy

USCIS has begun issuing I-797A, Notice of Action Approval Notices containing inconsistent validity periods on the face of the document. Specifically, the top portion of the I-797A approval notices lists the approved visa classification (e.g., H-1B) and the authorized validity period of that visa classification (e.g., from Oct. 1, 2017, to Sept. 11, 2020). The bottom portion of the approval notice, containing Form I-94, Arrival-Departure Records, now lists different validity periods – generally an additional 10 days of validity in comparison to the validity dates listed on the top of the approval notice (e.g., from Oct. 1, 2017, to Sept. 21, 2020). This change in the approval notices is causing confusion for both employers and employees.
Continue Reading USCIS Approval Notices Cause Confusion due to Inconsistent Validity Periods