Dear Clients: I hope this email finds you all well and enjoying the summer.  Siskind Susser continues to operate 90% remotely with a few people in the physical office each day. As you recall, on June 22nd President Trump issued a proclamation suspending the issuance of H, L and J visas through the end of the calendar year.  This primarily applied to foreign nationals outside the US at that time without valid visas.  The Proclamation…

Siskind Summary – Administrative Record – Gomez v. Trump (page numbers start with 0000). [NOTE – Apologies for not including the link to the actual document which you can find here – https://www.dropbox.com/s/6r8r0j30cbzb8dv/Gomez%20Administrative%20Record%20Materials%20-%20081720%20REDACTED.pdf?dl=0 (thanks Chuck Kuck for posting). March 20, 2020 cable to all consular posts  – all posts are directed to suspend all nonmmigrant and immigrant visa services due to COVID. 000012   “Posts may continue processing interview waiver cases and immigrant visa 221(g)…

Finally some good news to report: In response to a lawsuit, the State Department reversed its position on L2’s, H4, and J2’s stuck outside the US without valid visas when President Trump signed his June 22nd executive order.  Consulates will issue L2, H4 and J2 visas to dependents where the L1, H1B or J1 spouse is currently in the U.S.  Hopefully, this will be implemented smoothly across consulates and families will be quickly reunited. Visa…

USCIS sent the following statement out by email extending it’s COVID-19 RFE response policy: In response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is extending the flexibilities it announced on March 30, 2020, to assist applicants, petitioners and requestors who are responding to certain: • Requests for Evidence; • Continuations to Request Evidence (N-14); • Notices of Intent to Deny; • Notices of Intent to Revoke; • Notices of Intent to Rescind…

Siskind Summary – The Nonimmigrant Visa Travel Ban Effective date – 12:01 am eastern time on June 24, 2020 Link – https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/proclamation-suspending-entry-aliens-present-risk-u-s-labor-market-following-coronavirus-outbreak/ Who is covered? This is an expansion of the April 22, 2020, executive order barring the issuance of immigrant visas. That order is extended and a new exemption is created for children aging out who are at risk of not ever getting permanent residency. It also covers now several non-immigrant visa categories. The order…

Immigration and Customs Enforcement has announced that it is voluntarily testing detainees at facilities in Tacoma, Washington and Aurora, Colorado. It did not comment on other facilities nor did it talk about releasing detainees such as those who are at high-risk if they are infected. It also noted that while it encourages facilities to isolate new detainees for fourteen days upon entering the facility, such procedures are not mandated. The post ICE Offering Voluntary Covid …

Politico is reporting on the expiration of the current travel restrictions between the US and Canada which are expiring on June 22nd. Canada is interested in the restrictions continuing (not surprising given how bad the US response to COVID has been), but some loosening is expected. Here’s what Politico is saying: Canadian and U.S. governments must decide before June 22 whether to extend, amend or end land border restrictions — a Covid-19 response that is…