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MVP Law Group
News You Can Use
August 2017

10632 Little Patuxent Parkway
Suite 406
Columbia, Maryland 21044
240-390-0600
1-800-447-0796
Greetings,

"No color, no religion, no nationality should come between us; we are all children of God."
-- Mother Teresa --


MVP Law Group, the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), along with Immigration Practitioners and Advocates across the World are continuously calling on POTUS to change course on immigration policy and instead work with Congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle to move forward on immigration reform.
 
Our outdated immigration system has hobbled our economy but these executive orders and POTUS' expanded deportation force WILL NOT give us the smart balanced immigration system we need. These policies and his administration's actions have done little to improve national security and have already created enormous delays for people coming to the U.S. His policies and actions have placed discrimination based on faith and national origin on the books. We cannot stand idly by and let this happen. This path is not good for our country or the immigrants who call America home. We will not stand for abridgement of due process or human rights by this or any administration.

POTUS has threatened to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and could make an announcement any day now. Under DACA, nearly 800,000 undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children have received work permits and deferral from deportation for a period of two years to be renewed indefinitely as long as the applicants continue to meet the eligibility criteria, unless the program ends. Ending the program will allow the Trump Administration to easily target another 800,000 people for deportation. These children submitted an application to the USCIS, the Government now knows their whereabouts. The Trump Administration has suggested that they want a deal whereby DACA recipients are protected in exchange for legislation that pays for a border wall and more detention facilities.

During this summer recess, Senators and Representatives want and need to hear from you, their constituents. They need to know how the current policies of the Trump Administration are affecting your friends, family, neighborhood and communities. NOTHING will change without real stories from YOU! We've learned from the election that your voice does count, so take a stand and make your voice heard. CONTACT YOUR SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES TODAY! Make a plan - write a letter, send a postcard, or call their office, once a month, or once a week, make a plan that WORKS FOR YOU! It is your civic duty as an American.

We encourage you to Call your Representatives and Senators, regardless of where you live, they should hear from you and know what you won't stand for -  

§
1-866-940-2439 - Representative - Find your Representative here!
§ 1-866-961-4293 - Senators - Find your Senators here!

POTUS has released the following Executive Orders dealing with Immigration since officially taking Office on January 20, 2017:     
  1. Executive Order: Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements
  2. Executive Order:  Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States 
  3. Executive Order:  Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States (1st Travel Ban) 
  4. Executive Order: Task Force on Crime Reduction and Public Safety
  5. Executive Order: Enforcing Federal Law with Respect to Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) and Preventing International Trafficking
  6. Executive Order: Preventing Violence against Federal, State, Tribal and Local Law Enforcement Officers
  7. Executive Order: Protecting The Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into The United States (Travel Ban 2.0, replaces the January 27, 1ST Travel Ban ) 
  8. Executive Order:  Buy American, Hire American

What's been happening in Immigration -

August 22, 2017 -        POTUS signed the Northern Mariana Islands Economic Expansion Act, H.R.339 , revising the visa classification for Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Transitional Workers. The legislation added 350 visas, raising the total number from 12,998 to 13,348.
 
August 22, 2017 -         USA Today Editorial - Acting DHS Secretary Elaine Duke: "Border Walls Work. Yuma Sector Proves It."
 
August 25, 2017 -         POTUS pardoned Civil Rights Violator Sheriff Joe Arpaio .
 
August 28, 2017 -         USCIS announced that all Employment Based Green Card Applicants will be required to appear for an In-Person Interview in compliance with Executive Order 13780, "Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States."
 
August 31, 2017 -         USCIS announced that they will consolidate their headquarters from five leased locations and one federal asset to one USCIS facility in Camp Springs, MD for a term of 15 years.
 
As the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) continues to attack the Immigrant population, local nonprofits could use your support. If you are interested in helping either by volunteering your time or making a monetary contribution, on a nationwide level or locally, please reach out to the following organizations:
 
NATIONWIDE:
 
 
In other immigration news, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) Visa Bulletin for September 2017 is now available. The cutoff date movement is consistent with earlier predictions. The cutoff date for the EB2 category for India moved from 7/22/08 to 8/22/08 and EB3 moved from 7/15/06 to 10/15/06. The cutoff date for the EB2 category for Chinese Nationals moved from 4/22/13 to 5/15/13 and the cutoff date for the EB3 category for Chinese Nationals remained at 1/1/12.

We hope you continue to read our newsletter as well as our blog in order to stay in touch and obtain important information concerning changes to the regulatory environment and new trends in the adjudication of petitions.

Kellie N. Lego, Esq.
MVP Law Group, P.A.
In This Issue
Houston: We won't check immigration status at shelters

Officials from the City of Houston, Texas announced that they would not be asking for immigration status or documents at shelters or relief centers opened for the victims of the massive flooding caused by the constant rain from Tropical Storm Harvey. The exact statement released on the City's Official Tweeter Site was, "WE WILL NOT ASK FOR IMMIGRATION STATUS OR PAPERS AT ANY SHELTER". A few minutes later, they tweeted the exact same message but in Spanish..

Read more

Stamford Resident Admits to Operating Extensive Immigration Fraud Scheme

The U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Deirdre M. Daly announced that a 52 year old resident of Stamford, Connecticut and a citizen of the Republic of Georgia pleaded guilty in Hartford, Connecticut federal court to engaging in an immigration fraud scheme involving fraudulent marriages.  

 

The Defendant pleaded guilty to running an immigration fraud scheme where he set up fraudulent marriages for 50 to 60 European citizens. As part of the scheme, the Europeans paid the Defendant between $12,000 and $16,000, and he then would arrange for fraudulent marriages between the foreigners and U.S. citizens in order to obtain immigration benefits for the foreigners. The U.S. citizens were paid to enter into the sham marriages, according to U.S. Attorney Daly..

About Our Law Firm 

MVP Law Group, P.A.
offers Business Immigration Services to Employers and Individuals World Wide. We deal primarily with Business Immigration by assisting clients in obtaining Temporary Work Visas; Preparing and Filing Employment Based and Family Based Immigrant Petitions; Aiding Lawful Permanent Residents in Attaining Naturalization; and ensuring compliance with Immigration laws by conducting internal audits for businesses in all industries.

 

U.S. Immigration Law is federal in nature (i.e., No State or provincial law is involved), therefore, our firm is able to provide U.S. Immigration Law Services to clients ANYWHERE in the United States and around the World.

 

MVP Law Group, P.A. 

10632 Little Patuxent Parkway

Suite 406
Columbia, Maryland 21044

240-390-0600

1-800-447-0796 

 

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PERM Processing Priority Dates

(As of 8/31/17)

 

PROCESSING AREA

MONTH

CALENDAR YEAR

Analyst Reviews

May  

2017

Audits       

Jan.

2017

Requests for
Reconsideration

July  

2017

SEPT. 2017 VISA BULLETIN
The Department of State has released its latest Visa Bulletin.

The monthly Visa Bulletin has changed. The bulletin now summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during the reported month for: "Application Final Action Dates" (consistent with prior Visa Bulletins) and "Dates for Filing Applications," indicating when immigrant visa applicants should be notified to assemble and submit required documentation to the National Visa Center using Consular Processing (outside of the US) or file on their own with USCIS Form I-485 (within the US).
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MVP LAW GROUP - Immigration Q&A Forum
 

MVP Law Group, P.A. makes available the information and materials in this forum for informational purposes only. The information is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice or any contractual obligations. Further, the use of this site, and the sending or receipt of this information, does not create an attorney-client relationship between us. Therefore, your communication with us through this forum will not be considered as privileged or confidential.
 

Question #1 - H-1B Nonimmigrant Work Visa  
My employer somehow lost my original I-797 H1 approval notice and I need it to renew my driver's license and get visa stamping in the future when I travel. Can I get a new approval notice?
 
Answer #1 - Your employer will need to submit Form I-824 to the USCIS along with the USCIS filing fee of $465.00 to request a duplicate approval notice.


Question #2 - General


Answer #2 - Read more