United States Immigration News
United States: immigration policy, education, living, property and more.
"The Reinstatement of the EB-5 Investment Amount to $500,000 is a Misinterpretation"
On August 23, 2021, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security officially filed a notice of appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals regarding the ruling of the Northern District of California federal court in the lawsuit involving the Behring Regional Center and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Previously, on June 22, the Northern District of California federal court ruled in the lawsuit involving the Behring Regional Center and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, declaring the EB-5 new regulations implemented by the Immigration Bureau on November 21, 2019, invalid.
Biden Administration Proposes New Public Charge Rule
Recently, the Biden administration announced that it will introduce new regulations to replace the "public charge" rule established by the Trump administration. After initiating the new rule-making process, the Biden administration entered a 60-day public comment period, which will last until October 22, 2021. The public can submit their opinions on the federal government website.
USCIS Updates Policy: Applicants Can Now Apply for Social Security Number During Status Adjustment
On August 9, local time, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a new policy: effective immediately, immigrants applying for permanent residency (Green Card) can apply for a Social Security Number (SSN) concurrently during the status adjustment application process.
The First Female Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Officially Takes Office
Recently, the U.S. Senate confirmed President Biden's appointment of Ur Mendoza Jaddou as the Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services with a vote of 47 to 34. This marks the first time in two years that the agency has a formal director.
USCIS Simplifies Case Processing Procedures and Reduces Green Card Interviews
Recently, it has been reported that due to the pandemic, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has canceled numerous interviews to minimize in-person contact and ensure the orderly processing of cases, directly approving green cards for applicants. In other words, USCIS has simplified its case processing procedures and significantly reduced the number of green card interviews.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Issues Policy Announcement: EB-5 Investment Immigration Returns to $500,000
The USCIS updated its policy announcement indicating that it is further considering the ruling decision and will reference the EB-5 regulations prior to November 21, 2019. In other words, the USCIS acknowledges that the new regulations promulgated on November 21, 2019, have been overturned, and the EB-5 investment amount returns to $500,000 (TEA) / $1,000,000 (non-TEA), while the authorization for TEA returns to the designated agencies of each state.
U.S. EB-5 Regional Center Program Faces Suspension
On June 24, 2021, local U.S. time, the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2021, sponsored by Senators Chuck Grassley and Patrick Leahy, failed to pass the Senate by Unanimous Consent (UC). As the current EB-5 Regional Center Program is set to expire on June 30, 2021, and the U.S. Congress began its recess this Friday, the EB-5 Regional Center Program will face a brief suspension. ...
California Court Rules to Vacate USCIS EB-5 Price Increase Regulation
On June 22, U.S. local time, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California issued a formal ruling in the case of Behring Regional Center LLC v. Chad Wolf, the former Acting Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The court ruled that the appointment of the then-Acting Secretary of Homeland Security did not comply with the appointment procedures of the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, and vacated the EB-5 price increase regulation promulgated on November 21, 2019 (i.e., the investment amount increased to $900,000/$1.8 million)...
July EB-5 Visa Bulletin Released: Priority Dates Advance Significantly by 3 Months
The U.S. Department of State's Visa Office has officially released the Visa Bulletin for July 2021, the tenth month of the 2021 fiscal year, for the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program. The latest results show that for Table A, the final action date for EB-5 applicants is November 8, 2015. Compared to the previous month, the priority date has advanced significantly by 3 months, marking the second advancement in the 2021 fiscal year. Table B remains unchanged at December 15, 2015...
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Updates Policy Manual to Further Improve Immigration Services
On June 9, 2021, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced updates to the "USCIS Policy Manual," clarifying the conditions and circumstances for expedited processing, updating the directives on Requests for Evidence and Notices of Intent to Deny, and extending the validity period for initial and renewal employment authorization for certain non-citizens waiting on I-485 adjustment of status applications.
New Developments in the Yellowstone Club II EB-5 Project in the United States
Recently, the Yellowstone Club II EB-5 project, invested in by clients of the WorldWay Immigration Group, has welcomed the latest developments in project construction and condominium sales. Currently, the project is progressing steadily according to plan. As of the end of May 2021, over 85% of the project construction has been completed. The project hotel is still scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2021 as planned.
