LATEST IMMIGRATION NEWS
Presentation © Copyright 1999 VIKRAM BADRINATH, P.C. All rights reserved.
FEBRUARY 1999
Full text of a bill to 'To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to permit the admission to the United States of nonimmigrant students and visitors who are the spouses and children of United States permanent resident aliens.' (Introduced in House, 2/24/99)
The Department of State issues these regulations implementing the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, as required by section 2242 of the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998, Public Law 105-277. Effective February 26, 1999.
Attached is a recent announcement from the Department of Labor. Region X expects the electronic LCA filing system to be functional by mid-March. We will receive further notification at that time.
February 12, 1999, INS memo from Paul Virtue on 'presumption of extreme hardship.' He concludes 'that a rebuttable presumption would be permissible under limited circumstances' and would be available only to certain class members.
AILA Press Release on Supreme Court ruling on Reno v. American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, 97-1252.
This interim rule amends Department of Justice regulations by establishing procedures for raising a claim for protection from torture, as directed by the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998. Establishes new 'deferral of removal' procedures. Effective March 22, 1999. Comments must be received by April 20, 1999.
This rule amends the INS's regulations to allow nonimmigrant visitors for business or pleasure who are nationals of the British Virgin Islands (BVI) to apply for admission to the United States at the port-of-entry of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, without nonimmigrant visas. Effective February 18, 1999. Comments must be received by April 19, 1999.
The INS has amended its 03/19/97 Final Rule on Naturalization Educational Requirements to include licensed Doctors of Osteopathy (DOs) as health care providers who are authorized to complete Form N-648, Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions. The Service has also made minor changes to the language of the rule to avoid misinterpretation. Effective March 22, 1999.
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit remands Denial of Suspension of Deportation in light of passage of NACARA.
This rule proposes to amend the Schedule of Fees for Consular Services. Specifically, it lowers the cost of the machine readable combined border crossing card and nonimmigrant visa for certain Mexican citizens under the age of 15 applying in Mexico and it exempts certain diplomatic visa applicants from visa fees for non-official travel.
Vice President Gore's statement on restoring additional benefits for legal immigrants and funds for English proficiency.
INS Progress Report on Naturalization.
This document extends the period for filing comments regarding a proposed rule to implement recent legislation and clarify existing Departmental rules relating to the temporary employment in the United States of nonimmigrants under H-1B visas. Comments must be received on or before February 19, 1999.
On January 5, 1999, the Department of Labor published its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to update its regulations for administration of the H-1B visa program, following enactment last year of the new H-1B law, the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998 (ACWIA).
This interim rule amends the INS regulations by removing outdated language requiring that only certain EL Salvadorans must pay a fee for Temporary Protected Status (TPS)-related applications for employment authorization documents (EADs). Effective February 1, 1999. Comments must be submitted on or before April 2, 1999.
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