Updated COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements for Uniting for Ukraine Parolees

On August 10, 2022 the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that DHS has updated the COVID-19 vaccination requirements for beneficiaries paroled into the United States under Uniting for Ukraine. Previously, beneficiaries younger than 5 years old qualified for an exception to the COVID-19 vaccination requirement because the vaccine was not approved or licensed for use in that age group, but this guidance has since been updated. Now, all beneficiaries aged 6 months and older must have an attestation submitted attesting that they received COVID-19 vaccinations both before traveling to the United States and after arrival in the United States according to the current guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, unless they are eligible for an exception.

New Statutory Due Process Rights for Immigrant Victims in Massachusetts On August 04, 2022, the Massachusetts Legislature added a new law (G.L. c. 258F, §§ 1-4 ) to the General Laws on victim rights.   Under federal law, certain immigrant victims of certain violent crime or severe forms of human trafficking to petition the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), for a U visa (for victims of specific violent crimes) or a T visa (for victims of human trafficking).

Prior to the recent Massachusetts state law, the federal law creating the certification requirement did not establish a standardized process for evaluating certification requests. Due to the absence of federal, statutory due process, some immigrant victims of crime experienced “delays and confusion” when requesting certification.

The new law affords immigrants two statutory due process provisions when seeking certification for a U or T visa. The first provision requires certifying entities to “adopt a policy for completing and signing nonimmigrant status certification forms” for those who intend to seek U or T visas. Those policies must be clear about how the certifying agency assesses whether the victim “has been helpful, is being helpful, or is likely to be helpful” in the investigation or prosecution of qualifying crimes.

The second statutory due process provision governs timeliness. The certifying entity must respond to a certification request within 90 days through one of the following options:

• complete and sign the certification form

• deny the request without prejudice that explains “the reason that the request does not meet the requirements of the certifying entity’s policy”

• provide a written explanation that the certifying entity is delayed in responding with a projected time frame for a response.

If the certifying entity responds that there is a delay, the delay must be caused by “extenuating circumstances outside the control of the certifying entity.”

DHS Notice of Extension and Redesignation of Syria for TPS

On July 29, 2022, The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the extension and redesignation of Syria for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months, through March 31, 2024. This extension allows existing TPS beneficiaries to retain TPS through March 31, 2024, so long as they otherwise continue to meet the eligibility requirements for TPS. Existing TPS beneficiaries who wish to extend their status through March 31, 2024, must re-register during the 60-day re-registration period, between August 1, 2022 through September 30, 2022, per the Federal Register Notice posted on August 1, 2022.   

This notice also provides automatic extension of the validity of certain EADs previously issued under the TPS designation of Syria through September 30, 2023. Therefore, as proof of continued employment authorization through September 30, 2023, TPS beneficiaries can show their EADs that have the notation A-12 or C-19 under Category and a “Card Expires” date of September 30, 2022, March 31, 2021, September 30, 2019, or March 31, 2018. The Federal Register Notice explains how TPS beneficiaries and their employers may determine which EADs are automatically extended and how this affects the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, E-Verify, and USCIS Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) processes. Employers and employees can find the Lists of Acceptable Documents on the last page of Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, as well as at the Acceptable Documents web page here.

DHS issues Notice of Final Rule on DACA

On August 30, 2022, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a notice of final rule that will preserve and fortify the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy for certain eligible noncitizens who arrived in the United States as children, deferring their removal and allowing them an opportunity to access a renewable, two-year work permit.

The rule continues the DACA policy as announced in the 2012 Napolitano Memorandum and is based on established USCIS practice. The rule embraces the consistent judgment that has been maintained by the Department—and by three presidential administrations since the policy first was announced—that DACA recipients should not be a priority for removal. 

A product of careful review and in response to the more than 16,000 comments received during the public comment period, the final review codifies existing DACA policy, with limited changes, and replaces the DACA policy guidance set forth in the 2012 Napolitano memorandum. The final rule:

• Maintains the existing threshold criteria for DACA;

• Retains the existing process for DACA requestors to seek work authorization; and

• Affirms the longstanding policy that DACA is not a form of lawful status but that DACA recipients, like other deferred action recipients, are considered “lawfully present” for certain purposes.

The final rule is effective Monday, October 31, 2022. However, while a July 16, 2021 injunction from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas remains in effect, DHS is prohibited from granting initial DACA requests and related employment authorization under the final rule. Because that injunction has been partially stayed, DHS presently may grant DACA renewal requests under the final rule.

IDC News

We are excited to announce that Jay Zollman will be joining our firm as a paralegal in August. Jay is from Florida and has experience working as an in-house immigration coordinator.

ICE Developing New Secure Docket Card for Migrants Arriving at the U.S. Border

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is currently developing a Secure Docket Card (SDC) for issuance to migrants at the U.S. border and in detention centers. An ICE spokesperson stated that, “The ICE Secure Docket Card (SDC) program is part of a pilot program to modernize various forms of documentation provided to provisionally released noncitizens through a consistent, verifiable, secure card. The secure card will contain a photo, biographic identifiers, and cutting-edge security features to the mutual benefit of the government and noncitizens." The SDC card may eventually be accepted for travel by the Transportation Services Agency (TSA). ICE is expected to launch the pilot program by the end of 2022. The SDC will allow foreign nationals to both better communicate changes in their information to U.S. immigration agencies as well as stay informed of developments in their pending cases. More importantly, the SDC is expected to reduce the number of foreign nationals in detention centers.

USCIS Rescinds Designation of the Decision in Matter of Z-R-Z-C- as an Adopted Decision

On July 1, 2022, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it was rescinding its designation in Matter of Z-R-Z-C- as an adopted decision and updated its interpretation of authorized travel by foreign nationals in Temporary Protected Status (TPS). This memo replaces prior USCIS guidance regarding the treatment of a TPS beneficiary’s return after authorized travel abroad.

The updated guidance states:

• “USCIS will no longer use the advance parole mechanism to authorize travel for TPS beneficiaries but will instead provide a new TPS travel authorization document. This document will serve as evidence of the prior consent for travel contemplated in INA 244(f)(3) and serve as evidence that the bearer may be inspected and admitted into TPS pursuant to MTINA if all other requirements are met.”

• “TPS beneficiaries whom DHS has inspected and admitted into TPS under MTINA, subsequent to that inspection and admission, will have been “inspected and admitted” and are “present in the United States pursuant to a lawful admission,” including for purposes of adjustment of status under INA 245. This is true even if the TPS beneficiary was present without admission or parole when initially granted TPS.”

August Visa Bulletin

Each month, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) publishes the Visa Bulletin, listing all "preference" categories and states whether a backlog exists for each one.  In addition, the categories are folded into two charts: “Final Action” chart and a “Dates for Filing” chart for Family-Based immigration and Employment-Based immigration.

For August 2022, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has indicated that for Employment-Based immigration, the “Final Action Dates” chart should be used in establishing eligibility to file the I-485 Adjustment of Status petitions. This means that those who filed an Immigrant Petition [Form I-140] on or before the date given in the Visa Bulletin may file an application for permanent resident status [Form I-485].

In August, the EB-1 preference category on the Final Action Chart for all countries including China and India remains “current.” This means the I-485 applications may be filed immediately with the Form I-140. Also, any otherwise qualified national of China or India with an approved EB-1, I-140 may file the I-485 in July.

The EB-2 preference category remains “current” for all countries other than China and India, which means that individuals in these categories may immediately file I-485 applications. China and India remain backlogged on both the Final Action and Dates for Filing Charts.

The EB-3 preference category is also “current” for all countries other than China and India. In July, the final action dates for EB-3 preference categories for Chinese and Indian nationals were March 22, 2018, and January 15, 2012, respectively. They have progressed slightly for August and are respectively April 22, 2018 and February 15, 2012.

The EB-5 preference category was recently reformed under the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act and the visa bulletin includes three new categories for EB-5 processing. All EB-5 preference categories are “current” except for EB-5 Unreserved (I5 and R5) for China.

The complete Visa Bulletin, including priority dates for family-based immigrant applications, can be found on the Department of State website.

If you have questions about planning, please schedule a consultation with one of the attorneys at Iandoli, Desai & Cronin (info@iandoli.com).

Click here to see complete August Visa Bulletin.

Social Security Administration (SSA) Resumes E-Verify Operations

Social Security Administration (SSA) announced on July 15, 2022, that it will be resuming E-Verify operations, and employee E-Verify cases referred to SSA on or after July 15, 2022 will have the normal 8 federal working days to contact the local SSA office to begin resolving the mismatch. E-Verify cases referred on or after July 15, 2022 will no longer provide extended timeframes for employees to visit SSA to resolve these mismatches. E-Verify cases referred between March 2, 2020, to July 14, 2022, with a SSA mismatch will still have an extended timeframe to be resolved.

SSA reminds employers that “Cases must be referred in E-Verify within 10 federal government working days after the issuance of the mismatch. Employees with any mismatch referred on or after July 15, 2022, must take action to resolve it within 8 federal working days after the case is referred. Employees with an SSA mismatch referred between March 2, 2020, to July 14, 2022, have until September 29, 2023, to resolve it.”

Considerations when Terminating a Foreign Worker

The American Immigration Lawyers Association published a factsheet on employer considerations when terminating a foreign worker in H-1B, H-1B1, E-1/E-2, E-3, TN, L-1, and O-1 status. The factsheet outlines how employees must be notified of their termination and whether they can take advantage of any grace periods. Information on employer-sponsored I-140 petitions and dual representation between the employer and the employees is also included.

You can download the flyer here.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Updates Policy Manual for O-1 Petitions with Guidance on STEM Fields

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) stated on July 22, 2022, that it was updating its Policy Manual to provide further guidance on the type of evidence that can be used to support a petition for an O-1A nonimmigrant petition for individuals with extraordinary ability in science, technology, engineering, and STEM fields. USCIS communicated that being named on a competitive government grant for STEM research would be viewed favorably toward demonstrating that a beneficiary is at the top of their field. The USCIS Policy Manual now includes this evidence with all the listed examples of evidence that may be submitted to show that an applicant has extraordinary ability.

Please contact Iandoli, Desai & Cronin PC at info@iandoli.com if you have questions about preparing an O-1A nonimmigrant petition.