RESULTS FOR: Immigration
January 24, 2023 | Compliance Immigration + Border Services
When companies intend to merge with or acquire another company, many risk factors must be evaluated prior to the transaction’s execution. However, immigration compliance risk is not always on the top of that list. And, that could be a potentially costly omission.
Immigration Compliance: Why It Matters:
Immigration compliance risk comes in two primary areas; 1) Work-related visa risk, and 2) I-9 compliance risk. While not all U.S.-based companies use work-related visas, they all must comply with the I-9 laws … Read More
October 6, 2022 | Compliance Immigration + Border Services
As per an October 11, 2022 announcement, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs enforcement (ICE) has officially extended Form I-9 flexibilities, particularly for remote hire instances. Those relaxed procedures now expire on July 31, 2023. For employers, it is business as usual and no need to rush to get employees’ documents inspected in person at the beginning of November. The government does encourage employers to begin that process in good faith and with discretion.… Read More
May 4, 2022 | Immigration + Border Services
On May 4, 2022, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a vast increase in the length of automatic extensions for certain renewal applicants. A Temporary Final Rule (TFR) has been published and provides details regarding the changes. Due to the negative impact of COVID-19, federal personnel shortages, and a major increase in Employment Authorization Document (EAD) applications, USCIS has been bogged-down with severe backlogs and delayed production of filing receipts and work permits.… Read More
March 9, 2021 | Immigration + Border Services
On March 8, 2021, the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the designation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelan nationals. The TPS period extends to September 2022 (18 months) and applies to those currently residing in the United States. Secretary Mayorkas cited the extraordinarily negative circumstances and poor living conditions in Venezuela as the primary reasons for the TPS.
As a result, and of utmost importance, any Venezuelan national who qualifies for and wishes to be considered … Read More
February 5, 2018 | Compliance Immigration + Border Services
If there was any doubt about whether the current Administration was going to add worksite enforcement back into ICE’s enforcement agenda, the answer is “YES”. On January 10, 2018, ICE Acting Director Tom Homan released ICE’s revised worksite enforcement strategy. The new strategy focuses on three identified prongs: compliance; enforcement; and outreach.
Specifically mentioned under the enforcement prong is “the arrest of unauthorized workers for violation of laws associated with working without authorization.” This is a significant change from … Read More
October 6, 2017 | Immigration + Border Services Investigations
Last week U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued a news release regarding a significant worksite enforcement settlement which was touted as the “largest civil settlement agreement ever levied by ICE”. The question being asked by many employers, “Is this the return to worksite enforcement under the Trump Administration?” Given the strong talks about the southern border wall and being more aggressive on immigration enforcement by the current Administration, one area that has remained relatively quiet is worksite enforcement, both … Read More
February 2, 2017 | Compliance Immigration + Border Services
In response to the Trump Administration’s Executive Order temporarily banning refugees and certain immigrants with origins from seven specific countries, several U.S. companies publicly declared their commitment to the hiring of refugees. Specifically, Starbucks pledged to hire 10,000 refugees over the next five years and LinkedIn signaled their intent to speed up the expansion of LinkedIn’s “Welcome Talent” refugee support program. Other companies are considering following the lead of Starbucks and pledging to hire existing and newly arriving refugees.
For … Read More
January 23, 2017 | Immigration + Border Services Investigations
During his inaugural address, President Trump provided a glimpse into the priorities his administration will pursue, including immigration enforcement. He stated, in part, “We will get our people off of welfare and back to work – rebuilding our country with American hands and American labor.” This clearly points not only a desire to prevent the outsourcing of American jobs, but also a desire to ensure only authorized workers in the United States are engaged in the workforce.
President Trump and … Read More
September 25, 2012 | Compliance
If 2011 was the year where higher education immigration fraud was widely exposed, then 2012 is the year where the Government is taking action. And universities need to be prepared.
Though there has always been the potential for widespread immigration fraud in connection with higher education, a few instances of egregious fraud last year have brought the issue to the forefront. In January of 2011, agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) raided Tri-Valley University in Pleasanton, California, on suspicions … Read More