The Australian government made an announcement last Sunday regarding the establishment of a support policy to help victims of forced marriages. This initiative is part of a broader movement to eradicate modern-day slavery in the country. Individuals who are victims or at risk of forced marriages will now be able to benefit from 200 days…
As lawyers, our primary duty is to uphold the law, irrespective of our personal stance on any given legislation. We are privy to the inner workings and subtleties of the legal system, which occasionally brings us face-to-face with the questionable law or two. A discussion has been initiated to bring forth what can be termed…
Massachusetts highest court, the Supreme Judicial Court, is set for a potential shift to more progressive views following the impending retirements of Justices Elspeth Cypher and David Lowy. The link to the full report can be found here. This shake-up allows Governor Maura Healey (D) to make two new appointments to the court, providing a…
Chief US District Judge Alia Moses has rejected a motion for a preliminary injunction from Texas to block the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from cutting wire fencing at the US-Mexico border. This decision came as a part of a case in the US District Court for the Western District of Texas. In October, Texas…
Duke University School of Law is set to benefit from a significant $5 million slice of a larger $100 million award gifted to the overall college by The Duke Endowment. As reported, this is a historic single award for the university based in Durham, North Carolina. Timed to celebrate the upcoming centennial anniversary of both…
In recent news, Facebook and Apple settled large sums, $14.25 million and $25 million respectively, with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) signalling to employers about the latitudes of federal government fines. These fines may apply to companies even if they are compliant with the recruitment steps required by the…
In recent news, the Justice Department (DOJ) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a joint statement last month that has significant implications for financial institutions. The focus of this statement was centered on antidiscrimination in lending practices. This new reminder effectively speaks to all credit applicants, asserting a principle that they are to…
Renowned immigration advocate, Beth Henderson, recently sat down for an illuminating conversation in episode of Behind the Bio, shedding light on her unique career path and the poignant role she has played within Microsoft’s pro bono program. In the interview, confided about her initial journey as an immigration lawyer, leading up to the significant role…
On October 12, 2023, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a noteworthy joint statement to clarify the civil rights implications of considering an individual’s immigration status under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA). The statement is particularly vital for corporations and law firms, offering crucial guidance on how…
Lawyers and legal professionals worldwide continually follow and draw insight from the operations of the Supreme Court of the United States and the advocate strategies used therein. SCOTUSblog, which offers regular coverage and analysis of Supreme Court activities, has recently introduced a new feature that should prove highly beneficial to this audience. The feature, headed…
Legal professionals and corporate decision-makers worldwide have been closely monitoring changes in migration policies and their potential economic impacts. Most recently, in an unusual fiscal move, New York’s charismatic mayor, Eric Adams, grabbed the headlines. Mayor Adams has mandated an austere 20% reduction in spending directed towards asylum seekers’ welfare. This development arrives in the…
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the United States of America recently initiated an enforcement action related to the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program (EB-5 Program). The program allows foreign investors to secure permanent residency in the U.S in exchange for making a significant investment in a new U.S-based commercial enterprise. This action is required…
In a recent development, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a resolution concerning allegations against premier technology company, Apple. The tech giant had been accused of discriminatory recruitment and hiring practices. Central to the issue was the program electronic review management (PERM) process, which deals with labor certification. The claims alleged that the way…
In a potentially pivotal turn, U.S. Supreme Court Justices seem set on the path to expand judicial review in deportation cases. Immigrants may clinch a chance to appeal their deportations by demonstrating that such removals would inflict exceptional hardship on their families. In the convolutions of legal applications, questions resound regarding the scrutiny level that…
The U.S. Congress has recently approved an additional 64,716 H-2B temporary nonagricultural visas for fiscal year 2024, supplementing the annually available 66,000, in response to increasing labor demands. This is in line with a trend seen in previous years, where similar measures have been enacted to alleviate shortages in nonagricultural industries. A Temporary Final Rule…
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is planning to solicit public input on expanding the list of Schedule A occupations which are eligible for streamlined immigration processing. This initiative focuses on designated jobs in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. The decision was taken following the Biden Administration’s Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and…
In recent news, significant changes have been brought to the legislation pertaining to United Kingdom’s Immigration and Nationality Fee rates. Announced by the Home Office on September 15, 2023, these changes were put into effect as of October 4, 2023. This legislative modification has brought about a comprehensive increase in UK immigration and nationality fees,…
In a significant move, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) secured a $25 million agreement with Apple Inc. to resolve allegations of discriminatory hiring and recruitment processes related to the Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) program. This announcement was made on November 9, 2023. More details can be found in the official announcement here. The allegations…
The U.S. Department of State has released the Visa Bulletin for November 2023. This report indicates that all employment-based categories will hold steady in November under Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing, with the exception of a minor advancement for EB-2 Final Action Dates. This announcement means that the United States Citizenship and Immigration…
Apple Inc., one of the giants in the technology industry, recently reached a settlement of $25 million USD with the Department Of Justice (DOJ) over allegations of biased recruitment processes. Lawyers argue that these allegations expose clashes between federal agencies regarding the compliance with immigration law. The DOJ claimed that Apple had exhibited bias in…
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has shown inconsistency in its arguments concerning the Cuban Adjustment Act (CAA) of 1966, posing challenges for Cuban individuals navigating the naturalization process in the United States. Particularly, the definition of “parole” is under dispute, which poses a major issue, as parole is a significant component in gaining lawful…
The emergency laws introduced in Australia, targeted towards refugees who cannot be deported, are currently being challenged in the country’s high court. These regulations have primarily come under scrutiny by a Chinese refugee, and have been labeled as “arbitrary” and “punitive” by the legal representation of said refugee. The new laws require these individuals to…
The leader of the Dutch far-right Forum for Democracy (FvD) party, Thierry Baudet, was assaulted at a campaign event recently, just two days prior to the national elections, according to reports. This incident took place in a bar where Baudet was campaigning. He was assaulted with a beer bottle, struck in the back of the…
For lawyers, the profession is not just about upholding the law, but also understanding and challenging its flaws. Attorneys have a unique insight into the often invisible cracks in the legal framework that governs our society. But of all these flaws, which law is the absolute worst? Several key issues rise to the surface when…
In the festive spirit, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has delivered some positive news for the H-2B community. With a push for a more extensive employment landscape, the department announced nearly 65,000 additional H-2B visas. Furthermore, an update on the Eligible Countries List has been made, marking another momentous move in immigration law. The…