Immigration Update

Immigration News and Analysis
for Clients and Friends of Borene Law Firm

December 2023
New Legal Immigrants to the U.S. Are at the Highest Level since 2001
(More than 1 Million in 2023)

According to a new report from the U.S. Census Bureau, the overall U.S. population now totals 334.9 million people. More than 65% of the population growth is from new Lawful Permanent Resident immigrants (aka "green card" holders).
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Reaches
H-1B Work Visa Lottery Cap for the Fiscal Year Starting October 1, 2023 (Competition Is at All-time High)

The H-1B work visa is the most commonly used work visa for newly hired professionals. In March 2023, more than 700,000 individual applications were registered for only 85,000 available new H-1 lottery sponsorships.

H-1B eligibility requirements include a bachelor's degree or higher and a qualified U.S. job offer. The window for H-1B lottery registration re-opens in March of 2024. We advise preparing H-1 lottery applications now to meet the registration deadline.

New rules from USCIS limiting H-1B lottery registration to only one registration per individual sponsored worker are expected for 2024. In past years, some prospective H-1B workers benefited from multiple registrations by different employers.


Read from Borene Law Firm, FAQs about H-1B Temporary Work Status
U.S. Census Bureau Predicts Older and More Diverse U.S. Population by 2100 (Without Substantial Legal Immigration, the U.S. Population Will Decline)

The U.S. Census Bureau projects three different population scenarios for America in 2100.

Scenario #1: "High Immigration"
U.S. population increases in 2100 to 435 million

Scenario #2: "Medium Immigration"
U.S. population in 2100 rises to 365 million

Scenario #3: "Low Immigration"
U.S. population in 2100 shrinks to 319 million people from current population of 334 million and gets much older
The U.S. Welcomed 967,500 New Citizens in Fiscal Year 2022 (The Highest Number of New Citizens since 2008)

The top five countries of birth were:

  1. Mexico (13.3%)
  2. India (6.8%)
  3. Philippines (5.5%)
  4. Cuba (4.8%)
  5. The Dominican Republic (3.6%)

To be eligible for citizenship, most applicants must first obtain Lawful Permanent Resident status (aka "green card" status), and reside in the U.S. for five years (three years if married to a U.S. citizen) and pay U.S. income taxes on their worldwide income.

Successful citizenship applicants must also demonstrate the ability to read, write and speak ordinary words in the English language and pass a civics test showing a knowledge and understanding of U.S. history and government.

Read from USCIS, Naturalization Statistics
Scott Borene was
named the
Best Lawyers® 2024 Immigration Law "Lawyer of the Year" in Minneapolis.
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Tip of the Month

All Employers in the U.S. Must Now Use Only the New Revised Form I-9 for Newly Hired Employees


Effective November 1, 2023, all U.S. employers are required to use only new Form I-9 (Edition 08/01/2023). Employers who fail to use the 08/01/2023 edition may be subject to penalties.

Read from U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Reminder: Starting Nov. 1, All Employers Must Use the Revised Form I-9

View U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' Form I-9 and Instructions for Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification

Read from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Completing Form I-9


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For the latest Official Processing Times from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services for Visa Petitions and Immigration Applications

For the latest information from the U.S. Department of State on Immigrant Visa “Green Card” Quota Backlog (Priority) Dates
Borene Law Firm In the News
Borene Law Firm rated "AV Preeminent" in 2024 - "the highest possible Peer Review Rating in legal ability and ethical standards" for the 29th consecutive year from "the gold standard in attorney ratings" - The Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, All Editions, 1994 - present.
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George Maxwell lead the Expert Immigration Panel on the Topic of "Considerations for Building a Global Work force in 2023 and Beyond" at the Minnesota State Bar Association's Annual International Business Law Institute on March 2, 2023.

Aly Johnson has joined
Borene Law Firm
as an Attorney. Aly handles both business and family cases.

Scott Borene was selected to chair the North American Expert Immigration Panel at the 10th Biennial International Bar Association's Global Immigration Conference in London in December of 2022. Scott Borene has chaired the U.S. expert panel at every IBA Global Immigration Conference for the past 20 years (2003-2022).
Copyright Borene Law Firm, P. A., 2023
 Immigration Update is a publication of:
Borene Law Firm
U.S. & Global Immigration
3950 IDS Center
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402
United States of America
Phone: 612.321.0082
The information in this Immigration Update should not be considered specific legal advice; it is intended for informational purposes only. Anyone seeking specific legal advice should contact an appropriately experienced lawyer for a confidential, personalized consultation.