Client Alert: International Students and Schools Accepting International Students

Modifications to Temporary Exemptions for Non-immigrant Students Taking Online Courses During Fall 2020 Semester On July 6, 2020, The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) announced modifications Monday to temporary exemptions for nonimmigrant students taking online classes due to the pandemic for the fall 2020 semester. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security plans to publish …

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Client Alert: President Trump Suspends H-1B, H-2B, J and L Visas

June 23, 2020 RE: President Trump Suspends H-1B, H-2B, J and L Visas Dear Valued Clients: Yesterday,  President Trump signed a proclamation suspending certain work visas effective immediately to December 31, 2020.  However, its application will likely be less than would seemingly be the case for the following reasons: The proclamation applies to aliens outside …

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Client Alert: USCIS Rescinds H-1B Policy Memoranda and Provides New Guidelines favoring H-1B Petitioners

June 19, 2020  CLIENT UPDATE: Major Victory for H-1B Petitioners and Beneficiaries – USCIS Rescinds H-1B Policy Memoranda and Provides New Guidelines favoring H-1B Petitioners Dear Valued Clients: Last month federal court decisions, Serenity Info Tech, Inc. v. Cuccinelli  and ITService Alliance Inc., v. Cissna ruled against the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) …

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Client Alert: 众议院司法委员会共和党人呼吁对中国涉嫌滥用EB-5签证计划进行审查

作者:Paul Chen, Brandon Meyer and Sissi Zhou 2020年6月15日,众议院司法委员会的共和党人俄亥俄州议员吉姆·乔丹(Jim Jordan)和美国宾夕法尼亚州众议员盖伊·雷森塔勒(Guy Reschenthaler)联名写信给政府问责办公室(GAO)负责人吉恩·多达罗(Gene Dodaro)。他们呼吁对有争议的EB-5移民投资者签证计划进行审查-警告说中国共产党(CCP)可能正在滥用该计划让其成员进入美国。 信中说,美国人民正在这场全球性的大瘟疫中受苦,美国政府应该采取措施对中国实施制裁。为了响特朗普总统在2020年5月21日发表的讲话“保护美国人民,家园和生活方式”,吉姆·乔丹(Jim Jordan)和盖伊·雷森塔勒(Guy Reschenthaler)要求GAO对中国共产党有可能涉嫌滥用EB-5计划进行调查。 他们指出,EB-5计划颁布于1990年,尽管EB-5计划旨在刺激美国的资本投资和创造就业机会,但近几年来,很明显,中共可能正在滥用该计划,以使其成员获得美国永久居留权。在2012年至2018年期间,每年可获得的大约10,000份EB-5签证中,有近80%面向中国出生的投资者,而积压的大多数投资者也是中国人。即使现在中国投资人的排期时间已经超过了10年,但是他们还是愿意等待。 在冠状病毒大流行期间,特朗普采取了许多措施来限制美国的移民,包括禁止从中国游客入境。 今年4月,他签署了一项行政命令“暂时中止移民到美国”。但是,该命令包括了很多豁免的情况,EB-5计划也在豁免当中。自那时以来,一些共和党人已敦促特朗普终止其中一些豁免并加强措施。 有消息指出,特朗普政府正在计划出台更多措施来限制移民,EB-5计划可能会成为下一个目标。 信中还提到GAO在2016年曾对EB-5计划中的潜在欺诈行为进行过调查,但移民局并未审查该计划中的国家安全问题,移民局目前也无法基于国家安全风险因素撤销某地区投资人的申请。信中说:“随着国会重新评估我们与中国的关系,GAO再次审查EB-5计划的时机已经成熟。”两位议员要求GAO对以下四点进行调查并出具报告: 1. 美国公民及移民服务局(USCIS)对EB-5计划中发现欺诈行为的改进,以及中共为避免欺诈行为发现所做的努力; 2. 中共在多大程度上利用EB-5计划为其会员获得移民签证; 3. EB-5计划主管部门理论和实际操作之间的距离是否妨碍了USCIS在裁决EB-5申请时考虑国家安全问题;和 4. 来自中共或与中共相关的投资者EB-5投资的累计金额。 自从2019年11月21日EB-5计划涨价以来,整个EB-5行业已经面临了寒冬。此时共和党议员呼吁对该计划进行调查,对整个行业来说无疑是雪上加霜。中国EB-5投资人的申请也可能会面临移民局更严格的审核。 在这个特殊的时刻,Meyer Law Group愿意尽我们所能来帮助所有的中国移民解决他们在移民方面的问题。如果您有这方面的需求,或者对该文章有任何问题,欢迎随时联络我们。请留下您的联系方式,我们会尽快回复您。

Client Alert: Rumored Trump Executive Order

June 17, 2020 RE: It All Starts With a Rumor… How Trump’s Rumored Executive Orders Could Eventually Backfire on Economic Revitalization   Dear Valued Clients: On April 22, 2020 the Trump Administration issued a proclamation suspending certain immigrant visas[1] under the guise of curbing the rising unemployment rate amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The proclamation announced …

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Client Alert: DHS Extends Form I-9 Requirement Flexibility

Dear Clients, Previously in May 2020, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced an extension of the flexibility in complying with requirements related to Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, due to the novel COVID-19. This temporary flexibility was supposed to expire on June 18, 2020, however, due to …

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Reminders for Avoiding RFEs for H-1B CAP/Lottery Cases for FY2021

As of April 1, 2020, USCIS has begun once again accepting H-1B Cap subject lottery cases for the FY2021. As highlighted in previous alerts, we again expect a significantly high rate of USCIS Request For Evidence (RFE) demand for H-1B visas this coming quarter as a result of heightened and restrictive immigration policies of this …

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Client Alert: President Announces the Suspension of Certain Non-Immigrant Chinese Students and Researchers From Entering the United States

致: 客户 由: Meyer Law Group 关: 总统宣布暂停某些非移民身份的中国学 生和研究人员进入美国 日期: 2020 年 5 月 29 日 2020 年 5 月 29 日,特朗普总统发布公告,宣布暂停某些来自中国(PRC)的非移民学生和研究人员进入美国。 该公告指控中国利用中国的研究生和博士后研究人员来收集美国的知识产权。 该公告于 6 月 1 日星期一下午 12:00 生效。 东部标准时间,将一直有效直到总统终止。 这项声明会影响哪些学生和研究人员? 这项公告针对的人群为 F(学生)和 J(访问学者)两种签证的学生和研究人员,他们将禁止以及限制入境。注解:“接受或执行某实体的资金,或从某实体接受其资助或目前由该实体从事研究或以其名义进行研究,或已由该实体实施或支持的实体聘用,由其进行研究或以其名义进行研究的“。 中国的“军民融合战略”是什么? 根据该公告,军民融合战略是指“由中国采取或应中国的要求采取行动,以获取和转移外国技术,特别是关键的和新兴的技术,以纳入并提高中国的军事能力。” 美国国务院在 2020 年 3 月发布的一份说明中认为,这种军民融合战略是全球安全威胁,因为其目的是到 2049 年 1 月前使中国共产党成为世界上最先进的军队。1* 哪些学生和研究人员不受影响? 该声明不适用于: 1. 美国的任何合法永久居民。 2. 任何是美国公民或合法永久居民的配偶。 3. 任何是美国武装部队成员的外国人和任何是美国武装部队成员的配偶或子女的外国人。 4. …

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Client Alert: USCIS Announces it will Resume Premium Processing For I-140 and I-129 Petitions

May 29, 2020 Dear Valued Clients: On May 29, 2020 U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) announced it will resume premium processing for Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Workers, and Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien workers, in phases over the next month: Effective June 1, 2020 USCIS will accept Form I-907, Request for Premium …

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Client Alert: Federal Court Decision Regarding H-1B Itinerary Requirements is a Win for H-1B Workers

May 27, 2020 Dear Valued Clients: On May 20, 2020, the North District Court of Georgia ruled against the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) in their interpretation of 8 CFR § 214.2(h)(2)(i)(B). This statute requires H-1B Petitions, where services are performed in more than one location, to include an itinerary with dates and …

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