Earlier today, June 15, 2017, I presented arguments on behalf of DACA recipients in Georgia the Georgia Court of Appeals, seeking to sustain the decision of the Fulton County Superior Court Chief Judge (Judge Tusan), in ordering the Georgia Board of Regents to consider all DACA recipients eligible for in-state tuition, if they otherwise meet the tuition requirements. Here is …
What Are the Eligibility Requirements of the L-1 Visa Program? Atlanta Business Immigration Lawyer Explains
The L-1 visa is available to employees of an international company that has an office in the United States. It allows a foreign worker to enter the United States and work at the company’s U.S. office after working abroad for at least one continuous year within the previous three years. If you intend to petition for an L-1 visa, you …
How Could the H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act Affect U.S. Businesses?
The H-1B visa program was introduced to enable U.S. companies to hire highly skilled immigrants with specialized knowledge. This year, several bills have been proposed that would reform the H-1B program and encourage businesses to hire U.S. citizens rather than immigrants. One of these bills is the H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act. According to CNN, the bill was originally …
There Trump Goes Again–The Executive Order, The Ban, and Six Things You Need to Know
President Trump’s newly signed an Executive Order on February 6, 2017, entitled “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry Into The United States” modifies and somewhat tempers his prior Executive Order on a similar topic. In order to correct the typos, faulty legal analysis, lack of justification, and failure of common sense in the prior Executive Order, this new Executive …
What Are the Benefits of Investing in a Regional Center to Fulfill the Requirements of the EB-5 Visa?
The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program gives foreign entrepreneurs the opportunity to become lawful permanent residents in the United States by making a qualifying investment. In order for an investment to qualify, it must be made in either a new commercial enterprise or a regional center. As U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services explains, investing in a regional center offers a number …
How Do I Hire a Temporary Foreign Worker (H-1B)?
The H-1B visa program enables highly skilled immigrants to live and work temporarily in the United States. As outlined by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, there are strict requirements that a foreign national must meet to obtain an H-1B visa. These include: • The immigrant must have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent – three years of experience in an occupation …
13 Things To Know And Do Under President Trump’s New Immigration Enforcement Crackdown
President Trump’s DHS Secretary, John Kelly, just signed two new immigration enforcement instruction memos erasing virtually every immigration enforcement policy and program put into place by President Obama (other than DACA–for now). These memos also make clear that every immigrant in America, legal AND undocumented will be subject to arrest and deportation for the violation, or supposed violation of ANY …
If You Are An Immigrant (even a US Citizen), Here Are 9 Things You Should Know
Are you a Naturalized U.S. Citizen, Lawful Permanent Resident, Visa Holder, or an Undocumented Immigrant? We recommend you take the following steps to protect yourself in our current version of America. The last couple of weeks have reminded immigrants, even naturalized U.S. citizens, that they were not born in the United States. Our office has received countless phone calls, emails, …
The DOJ Raised The Penalty Fee for Immigration Law Violations–Including Employer Sanctions
The Department of Justice announced an increase in fines for violations of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as the pertain to those sections that account for fraud, document abuse, and unfair immigration-related employment practices. While this is only an adjustment for inflation, it brings home the point that that poorly or incorrectly completing immigration forms, like the Form I-9, can …
Trump’s Executive Order on Travel and Refugees–Our Analysis and Advice
President Trump signed an Executive Order on January 27, 2017, entitled “Protecting the Nation from Terrorist Attacks by Foreign Nationals.” This Executive Order had immediate effects on people traveling to the United States, but also has a long term impact on individuals with visas and permanent residence in the United States today. First, this Order specifically restricts any …