On February 15, President Trump signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 thereby averting another government shutdown.  The spending bill funds the federal government and extends the EB-5 Regional Center Program authorization through September 30, 2019.  EB-5 stakeholders will resume efforts towards achieving EB-5 reform and long-term reauthorization.…

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has resumed processing of EB-5 Regional Center applications/petitions.  The EB-5 Regional Center Program has been authorized and extended for three weeks in connection with the short-term spending bill signed by President Trump, thereby ending the government shutdown.  The continuing resolution (CR) reopens the government through February 15, 2019.   The CR also lifts the suspension on other immigration programs including E-Verify, religious workers programs, and Conrad 30 Waiver Program for…

E-Verify has resumed operations following the government shutdown.  This federal government system used by many employers to confirm eligibility of employees to work in the United States had been closed during the 35-day shutdown. While enrolling in E-Verify is mostly voluntary, once an employer is enrolled in E-Verify, it is critical to follow the rules and associated timelines with creating E-Verify cases for new hires.  During the shutdown, employers were unable to create E-Verify cases…

The co-chairs of Fox Rothschild’s Immigration practice group will be making presentations in many Fox offices on Immigration Compliance: What Employers Need to Know over the next few months. These presentations include an overview of immigration and workplace compliance, including Form I-9 and government inspections. Topics: Specifics about executing the I-9 under current rules Documenting employees without violating anti-discrimination laws Identifying and reviewing documents for authenticity Auditing and correcting I-9 forms Navigating pitfalls in the…