Immigration Update: July 2019
August 1, 2019USCIS Data Continues to Confirm High Rates of RFEs and Denials
Data released during the month of July confirms the trend of increased rates of RFE and denials in nonimmigrant visa cases. This trend remains consistent with the Trump Administration’s Buy American, Hire American Executive Order.
US Supreme Court to Take Up DACA
The Supreme Court is set to review federal court rulings that enjoin the Trump Administration from terminating the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program during its next term, which begins in October 2019.
New EB-5 Regulations
The minimum investment amount for EB-5 will increase to $1.8 million starting November 21, 2019. The minimum amount needed for certain Targeted Employment Areas will increase from $500,000 to $900,000. Moreover, USCIS will take exclusive authority to designate Targeted Employment Areas, which is expected to limit urban development projects under this category.
USCIS Reports Show Lagging Processing Times
USCIS processing times are slower compared to previous years, according to data recently released by the agency. This is especially true for foreign nationals with pending green card applications whose average wait time has increased from six months in 2015 to over a year.
Processing times for employment authorization documents (EAD) and EAD renewals have been severely affected. If your EAD is currently within 5 months of expiration, it may important to apply for renewal as soon as possible to avoid a lapse in employment authorization.