If you are hoping to move to the United States on an H-1B visa and bring your spouse along with you, know that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has announced plans that may prevent this from occurring. The agency also plans to put an end to the International Entrepreneur Rule, among other upcoming changes that impact employment-based immigration.
New H-1B visa restrictions announced
Are immigrant families being separated unlawfully?
An Illinois senator has accused the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) of separating immigrant families unlawfully. A coalition of Democrats has requested an investigation into whether families in immigration custody are being unlawfully separated from their children. At this time, it's unclear if the senator's claims are true, but there have been some reported incidents of this happening.
Advice for those arrested by immigration officials
Nearly all undocumented immigrants in the United States are ethical and otherwise law-abiding individuals. They just happen to be here in the United States without proper documentation. For this reason, they are branded "illegal" immigrants, and they could be arrested.
White House policy changes lead to increased deportation risk
Early in the current presidential administration, the White House issued executive orders to expand the types of immigrants prioritized for deportation. The Trump White House has also scaled back on the use of "administrative closure," which was a way of putting immigration cases on pause in order to focus on those immigrants prioritized for deportation -- such as immigrants who had been accused of violent crimes.
Is it easier now for international students to stay in the U.S.?
With a well-documented drop in the number of international students studying in U.S. colleges, you may be wondering if it is now easier for these students to stay in the United States after graduation. For example, if there might be fewer applications for jobs, your odds of getting employment, and in turn, a work visa, could increase, at least in theory.
