Now that USCIS has begun rescheduling naturalization interviews in NJ that were previously postponed due to COVID-19, the natural question now is what to expect? Will things be drastically different? The most obvious change is that there will be noti…
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Last week, USCIS amended its Policy Manual to incorporate some very importance guidance on the exercise of discretion. While discretion has always implicitly factored into an officer’s adjudication, the new amendments, announced by way of a Pol…
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A very disturbing article came out last Thursday that perhaps accounts for the interminable delay some individuals are experiencing in waiting for their green cards. According to the article which appeared in The Washington Post, USCIS has apparently…
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On June 18, 2020, the Supreme Court issued its much-anticipated decision on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. Fortunately, the ruling does not terminate DACA, as many had feared it would. While not delving into the politics behind the…
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On June 22, 2020, President Trump issued another important Presidential Proclamation on immigration. This iteration is particularly pernicious, as it affects not only family-related visas but now popular business visas. Under the order, which became…
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Approximately two weeks ago, an article in Roll Call reported that USCIS had stopped processing green card applications. This domestic policy was putatively to align with the President’s proclamation effectively barring immigrant visas from abr…
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According to the American Immigration Lawyers Association, a spate of anecdotal reports have come out that the National Benefits Center (or NBC) has been summarily denying adjustment of status cases without affording applicants any opportunity to rec…
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In some good news, USCIS began resuming in-person operations last week. Individuals may soon begin receiving appointments for interviews and naturalization oath ceremonies. That being said, this is still an incremental roll-out, with limited face-to-…
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Last Friday, President Trump issued another proclamation suspending entry of certain foreign nationals. This latest salvo is directed, in particular, at certain Chinese nationals attempting to enter the US on F-1 student visas or J-1 visas. At first…
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When applying for permanent residence, it is critical to understand and distinguish between the two different agencies charged with processing green card applications. In general, after a petition is approved-whether though family or employment-an ap…
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