Champagne and Surin, P.A.

08/21/2023

Even though a much needed immigration reform is not happening yet, there are a few forms of relief that have been expanded and others implemented. One of them is TPS - Temporary Protected Status for people from certain countries. Applicants from El Salvador, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua and most recently Ukraine can now apply for an extension of their status that will last until March and April of 2025. We have the details.

TPS is a conditional status granted by the Department of Homeland Security to foreign-born individuals in US, whose home country is experiencing difficulties or conflicts making their return untenable or a direct threat to the wellbeing and safety of that person. It protects them from deportation and allows for a work permit, after a background check.

In my opinion, the TPS designation is a win/win for all. Undocumented people can legally work, pay taxes, send money to their relatives abroad who are likely experiencing extreme hardship which, in turn, allows the family abroad to survive without illegal activity.

Plus, DHS has modernized some of the processes for Cuban and Haitian family reunification. This is a recently created program that would allow some people who have pending petitions to be reunited with their families under certain circumstances, without the multiple years of waiting. A lot more can do done online. We have the story.

In addition, the USCIS has expanded the 15-day premium processing service for student and some trainee visa (F, M and J visas) applicants who want non-immigrant status. This is an important change that may make it easier and faster for applicants to gain that status. We have the information from USCIS below.

And some of the consequences from the latest anti-immigrant law SB 1718: the owner of a famous restaurant in Tampa (The Columbia) was forced to fire 19 long-time workers after he was fined $500,000 for violating Florida's new anti-immigration law. He wants the state to provide stronger protections for migrants. That story is below.

If you should need help with immigration issues, upcoming immigration benefits and/or business-related visas, our firm can be of service.

En Español:

A pesar de que una reforma migratoria muy necesaria aún no está sucediendo, hay algunas formas de alivio que se han ampliado y otras se han implementado. Uno de ellos es TPS - Estatus de Protección Temporal para personas de ciertos países. Los solicitantes de El Salvador, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua y, más recientemente, Ucrania ahora pueden solicitar una extensión de su estatus que durará hasta marzo y abril de 2025. Tenemos los detalles.

El TPS es un estatus condicional otorgado por el Departamento de Seguridad Nacional a personas nacidas en el extranjero en EEUU, cuyo país de origen está experimentando dificultades o conflictos que hacen que su regreso sea insostenible o una amenaza directa para el bienestar y la seguridad de esa persona. Los protege de la deportación y permite un permiso de trabajo, después de una verificación de antecedentes.

En mi opinión, la designación de TPS es ‘win/win’ para todos. Las personas indocumentadas pueden trabajar legalmente, pagar impuestos, enviar dinero a sus familiares en el extranjero que probablemente estén experimentando dificultades extremas, lo que a su vez permite que la familia en el extranjero sobreviva sin actividad ilegal.

También, el DHS ha modernizado algunos de los procesos para la reunificación familiar de cubanos y haitianos. Este es un programa reciente que permite a algunas personas que tienen peticiones pendientes reunirse con sus familias bajo ciertas circunstancias, sin los múltiples años de espera. Se puede hacer mucho más en línea. Tenemos la historia.

Además, el USCIS ha ampliado el Premium Processing (respuestas en 15 días) para estudiantes y algunos solicitantes de pasantías (visas F, M y J) que desean el estatus de no inmigrante. Este es un cambio importante que agiliza el trámite para los solicitantes obtener ese estatus. Tenemos la información de USCIS a continuación.

Y algunas de las consecuencias de la última ley anti-inmigrante SB 1718: el dueño de un famoso restaurante en Tampa (The Columbia) estuvo obligado a despedir a 19 trabajadores después de que fue multado con $500,000 por violar la nueva ley anti-inmigrante de Florida. Quiere que el estado brinde protecciones más fuertes para los migrantes. Esa historia está abajo.

Si necesita ayuda con asuntos de inmigración, próximos beneficios de inmigración y / o visas relacionadas con negocios, nuestra firma puede ser útil.

04/07/2023

01/27/2023

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn4egA-LlRV/?igshid=NDdhMjNiZDg=

01/26/2023

DHS Announces Registration Process for Temporary Protected Status for Haiti

WASHINGTON — The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today posted a Federal Register notice on Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti. The notice provides information about how to register or re-register for TPS under Haiti’s extension and redesignation for an additional 18 months, from February 4, 2023, through August 3, 2024. Last month, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas announced the 18-month extension and redesignation of Haiti for TPS.

The registration process begins on January 26, 2023. All individuals who want to request TPS under the designation of Haiti must file an application.

The extension of TPS for Haiti allows approximately 107,000 current beneficiaries to retain TPS through August 3, 2024, if they continue to meet TPS eligibility requirements. It is estimated that approximately 105,000 additional individuals in the United States may be eligible for TPS under the redesignation of Haiti. Only individuals who have been continuously residing in the United States since November 6, 2022, are eligible for TPS under Haiti’s redesignation.

Existing TPS beneficiaries who wish to extend their status to August 3, 2024, must re-register during the 60-day re-registration period from January 26, 2023, through March 27, 2023, to ensure they keep their TPS and employment authorization without a gap. DHS recognizes that not all re-registrants may receive new Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) before their current EADs expire on February 3, 2023, and is automatically extending through February 3, 2024, the validity of EADs previously issued under the TPS designation of Haiti.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will continue to process pending applications filed under Haiti’s initial TPS designation. Individuals with a pending Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status, or a related Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, do not need to file either application again.

New applicants for TPS under the redesignation of Haiti must submit Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status, during the initial registration period that runs from January 26, 2023, through August 3, 2024. Haiti TPS applicants may file Form I-821 online. When filing a TPS application, applicants can also request an EAD by submitting Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, either with their Form I-821 or separately at a later date. Applicants may also submit Form I-765 online.

The Federal Register notice explains the eligibility criteria, timelines, and procedures necessary for current beneficiaries to re-register and renew their EAD, and for new applicants to submit an initial application under the redesignation and apply for an EAD.

10/31/2022

Gummies for Dammies!

08/23/2022

11/09/2021

DHS Announces Countries Eligible for H-2A and H-2B Visa Programs
Release Date
11/09/2021
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in consultation with the Department of State (DOS), has announced the lists of countries whose nationals are eligible to participate in the H-2A and H-2B visa programs in the next year. The notice listing the eligible countries will be published in the Federal Register on Nov. 10, 2021.

For the next year, the secretary of homeland security, with the concurrence of the secretary of state, has decided to:

Add Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Cyprus, the Dominican Republic (currently only eligible for the H-2A program), Haiti, Mauritius, and Saint Lucia to the list of countries eligible to participate in the H-2A and H-2B programs; and

No longer designate Moldova as an eligible country for the H-2A visa program because it no longer meets the regulatory standards for that program. However, Moldova’s eligibility for the H-2A program remains effective until Jan. 18, 2022.

DHS maintains its authority to add countries to the eligible countries lists at any time, and to decide not to redesignate any country at the end of the one-year period following the date of publication of a country’s last designation in the Federal Register, should DHS and DOS determine that a country fails to meet the requirements for continued designation. Examples of factors that could result in the exclusion of a country or the removal of a country from the list include fraud, abuse, denial rates, overstay rates, human trafficking concerns, and other forms of noncompliance with the terms and conditions of the H-2 visa programs by nationals of that country that are contrary to U.S. interest.

The H-2A and H-2B visa programs allow U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary agricultural and nonagricultural jobs, respectively. Typically, USCIS approves H-2A and H-2B petitions only for nationals of countries that the secretary of homeland security has designated as eligible to participate in the programs. However, USCIS may approve H-2A and H-2B petitions, including those that were pending as of the date of the Federal Register notice, for nationals of countries not on the list on a case-by-case basis only if doing so is determined to be in the interest of the United States.

Send a message to learn more

10/06/2020

USCIS today issued policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual clarifying whether temporary protected status (TPS) beneficiaries are eligible for adjustment of status under section 245(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). INA 245(a) requires an alien to have been inspected and admitted or inspected and paroled into the United States, unless exempt from this requirement.

The updated guidance reaffirms USCIS’ long-standing interpretation that an alien who enters the United States without having been inspected and admitted or inspected and paroled, and who is subsequently granted TPS, generally does not meet that requirement.

The updated guidance also incorporates Matter of Z-R-Z-C-, which held that generally TPS beneficiaries who travel outside the United States with prior authorization under INA 244(f)(3) retain the same status when they return to the United States that they had when they departed. If they were not considered inspected and admitted or inspected and paroled before their departure, that will not change when they return.

This updated policy guidance clarifies that decisions in the Sixth and Ninth Circuits holding that TPS is an admission for INA 245(a) purposes are limited to those jurisdictions. Outside of the Sixth and Ninth Circuits, Matter of H-G-G-, 27 I. & N. Dec. 617, 635 (AAO 2019), applies.

04/29/2020

Immigrants' Importance In Essential Workforce

Now that President Trump announced a 60-day suspending immigration to the United States, we thought it was important to acknowledge the important role immigrants play in many of industries deemed essential to keeping the country running.

For example, did you know that nearly 20 percent of the healthcare workforce - doctors, nurses, health aides, etc. - are immigrants.

25% of workers in the the pharmaceutical and medical manufacturing industry that develops and produces vaccines and drugs is an immigrant. Nearly 50% of those immigrants have an advanced degree, and a fifth of them are scientists.

More than 16,000 workers with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) are in the healthcare industry. More than 13,000 TPS work in the travel and hotel industries.

More than 161,000 refugees work in the healthcare sector in the United States.

More than 170,000 refugees work in industries that are part of the American food supply chain, including in agriculture, food processing, deliveries and shipping, groceries, and food preparation and services