Mónica Ramírez Almadani, an immigrant rights attorney well-known for heading and supporting lawsuits against immigration policies during the Trump administration, has been appointed to a seat on the federal trial court located in Los Angeles. The Senate, in a 54-44 vote on Thursday, confirmed Ramírez Almadani, who is currently serving as the president and CEO…
In a recent solo episode of The Consumer Finance Podcast, Troutman Pepper Partner Chris Willis provided an in-depth discussion surrounding a current, unresolved issue within the financial sector—namely, the consideration of immigration status in credit underwriting. This thematic issue has troubled creditors over the years and now features a joint statement from the Consumer Financial…
The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit heard arguments on Tuesday over President Joe Biden’s asylum policy that adds restrictions to migrants seeking asylum. The policy assumes that migrants who do not use legal pathways to enter the U.S. are ineligible for asylum. The policy was previously permitted to remain following a decision…
A Chapter 11 trustee’s settlement with a law firm, involved in representing Chinese émigré Ho Wan Kwok, in a professional negligence case against Clark Hill PLC, along with one of the firm’s immigration lawyers, has received approval from a Connecticut Bankruptcy Judge. The approved settlement entails an agreed upon division of the $100,000 retainer, split…
First Amendment court battles rarely pass without stirring some degree of commotion in the legal community, but the recent lawsuit centered around Fox News and their former reporter, Catherine Herridge, appears to be testing the boundaries of press freedom in unprecedented fashion. The case, as highlighted in Oliver Darcy’s Reliable Sources newsletter, was initiated by…
In a significant shift, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) is set to revive a long-dormant program permitting a limited number of nonimmigrant visa holders to renew their visas domestically, a process historically known as “domestic revalidation”, according to Harris Beach PLLC. The DOS’ move to reignite this program calls attention to the implications it…
The White House recently issued a comprehensive Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence. President Biden laid out directives on October 30, 2023, for several federal agencies to initiate measures pertaining to artificial intelligence (AI). The main focus of the order is on streamlining the immigration process for…
A cohort of eleven Republican Senators, all members of the Senate Banking Committee, have requested that both the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) step back from a joint statement that they published recently. The statement pertained to the supposed civil rights implications of a creditor’s consideration of an individual’s…
29 law professors have assured the University of California (UC) that there is no federal law preventing it from hiring “undocumented” students, but have omitted the potential legal risks posed to its human resources staff and to the UC regents. Their standpoint, that the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986‘s prohibition on knowingly employing…
Law professionals’ attention is being called to a recently announced regulation. As of November 1, 2023, employers are mandated to use the new version of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Form I-9 to validate the identity and employment authorization of individuals hired for employment in the United States, according to the legal advisory…
Attention is drawnn to the recent regulatory developments regarding Form I–9, Employment Eligibility Verification. As per new rules set to take effect on November 1, 2023, employers will be required to use the revised Form I–9 (edition date 08/01/23) during the employee eligibility verification process. The importance of this cannot be overstated, as failure to…
A proposed French immigration bill has raised eyebrows internationally due to allegations that it compromises on human rights. According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), the draft guidelines could potentially limit the rights of foreign nationals bound for deportation and tougher standards for adhering to French core values, failing which could result in expulsion. HRW also…
Legal professionals must be aware that a significant transformation in employment verification processing requirements has been announced. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently disclosed these critical updates, which are bound to immensely affect employers throughout the United States. The updated procedures have been enacted to…
As of November 1, 2023, a notable change has been initiated in the HR departments of companies across the globe. Employers are now required to use the revised Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification form, as reported by JD Supra. Originally introduced by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to verify the identity and…
As attorneys and top legal professionals in multinational corporations and large law firms, keeping abreast of recent developments is quite the order of the day. Nowhere is this truer than in the sphere of immigration law which constantly evolves to new socio-economic dynamics. October 2023 has proven to be a salient period in this regard…
On Sunday, in an unexpected move, the Texas Senate elected to adjourn until Tuesday, foregoing any discussions on House Bill (HB) 4, the controversial immigration bill that had been on its itinerary. This action suggests that the legislation will remain unpassed as the current special session draws to a close, and will have to be…
In a first-of-its-kind effort in the United States, California is pushing the legal boundaries to hire undocumented students in its state-university workforce reports Bloomberg Law. With California’s stellar history of legislation benefiting undocumented residents, by offering services like driver’s licenses, the state is now aiming to position its higher education system as a major employer….
The UN Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) recently concluded its 139th session, critically evaluating and commenting on the immigration policies of the Biden Administration. The UNHRC reviewed the reports of several countries, including Iran, Kuwait, Republic of Korea, Trinidad and Tobago, the US and Venezuela, finding positive elements but also noting areas of concern and offering…
The High Court of Australia ruled that the Australian government’s move to strip the citizenship of Abdul Benbrika, a man convicted of terrorism offences, is against the law. Benbrika, an Algerian national who obtained Australian citizenship in 1989, was convicted in 2008 for participation in a terrorist cell as was revealed by Operation Pendennis. Expected…
Attention legal professionals: effective November 1, 2023, every employer will be required to adopt the revised Form I-9 for Employment Eligibility Verification, which bears the edition date of 08/01/23. Form I-9 is a crucial document that employers use to confirm the eligibility of their employees to work in the United States. The form is mandated…
The U.S. Department of State is slated to launch an anticipated stateside visa renewal pilot program, according to additional details revealed on October 18, 2023. The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) released these details, showcasing the State Department’s focus on easing the process of H-1B nonimmigrant visas renewal for specific qualified noncitizens currently residing stateside….
Recently, vital cautionary guidelines were released by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) regarding the possibility of immigration status discrimination by financial institutions. These entities jointly published a document entitled: “Joint Statement on Fair Lending and Credit Opportunities for Noncitizen Borrowers under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act” (the Statement)….
On June 9, 2021, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a new policy guidance on the two-year home residence requirement for individuals with J nonimmigrant classification, which has significant implications for non-immigrant exchange visitors holding J visas.Link to the policy. The two-year home residence requirement demands that J-1 visa holders – individuals…
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has recently tabled a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM or the Rule) aimed at modernizing the H-1B Program. The proposed changes include providing flexibility in the F-1 Program and improvements to other nonimmigrant worker programs. Published with the intent to streamline the H-1B application process, the NPRM could…
Employers in the United States should be aware that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), introduced a new version of Form I-9 earlier this year. While companies have been allowed to continue using the older version dated October 21, 2019, a new mandate has set a deadline for the transition. As of November 1, 2023,…