Greg Siskind's Blog: Immigration Law

Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Immigration Law Blogs

OR PHONE (866) 635-1838 for Bankruptcy Help, (866) 635-6190 for Divorce,
(866) 635-2689 for Personal Injury or (866) 635-9402 for Criminal Defense

Find a Local Lawyer

Bankruptcy (866) 635-1838
Divorce (866) 635-6190
Personal Injury (866) 635-2689
Criminal Defense (866) 635-9402

Immigration Law

Greg Siskind's Blog

Latest news related to immigration law in a simple, clear, and interesting manner by a partner in Siskind Susser's Memphis, Tennessee office who specializes in immigration matters in the healthcare and technology industries.
By Greg Siskind

Post Frequency: 25.1/day

Last Entry: March 30, 2011 at 17:55:32

GOP MOVING BACK TO CENTER ON IMMIGRATION?

Posted on January 14, 2011
There are some positive signs over the last few days but I'm not sure I'd be as optimistic as Stewart Lawrence, but he's made some interesting observations.

IMMIGRATION EMPLOYMENT COMPLIANCE AND THE HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY

Posted on January 11, 2011
Here's an article I co-wrote for Bloomberg on I-9 and E-Verify issues facing health care employers. Not so much political as practical, but for those readers in health care or who advise health care clients, it may be helpful. Employment Eligibility Immigration Compliance: Managing I?9 and E?Verify Risk in the Healthcare Industry -

NFAP: NEW H-1B FEES FOR STAFFING COMPANIES VIOLATES US TRADE AGREEMENTS

Posted on January 11, 2011
Not surprising, but helpful that the National Foundation for American Policy has looked at this issue. Here's the report which explains the problems with the new law: NFAP: H-1B fees violate GATT -

H-1B EXHAUSTION TARGET: FIRST WEEK OF FEBRUARY

Posted on January 11, 2011
USCIS announced today that it has issued 58,700 H-1B visas. The cap is 65,000 and about 500 are already claimed for Singapore and Chile applicants under the treaties with those countries. That means we have about 25 days left until the cap is reached based on current usage.

To access this complete feed in the blog feed reader login or register for free.

ISSA BILL WOULD GRANT 55,000 GREEN CARDS TO US

Posted on January 10, 2011
Encouraging. Darryl Issa, the powerful new GOP House Oversight Committee Chair, has introduced this bill in the past, but with the change in party control, he's got a lot more clout this time around. Issa is proposing replacing the green card lottery's annual green card allotment with a new green card category for US-educated graduates in the science, technology, math and engineering fields...

THE GOP DREAM ACT PLAN?

Posted on January 10, 2011
The restrictionist Center for Immigration Studies has put out a DREAM Act proposal that could tell us what the Republicans might propose when they re-draft DREAM to their own liking. It's not horrible - some ideas, particularly those in the first of the two parts - would probably be areas where agreement could be reached...

TUCSON SHOOTER TIED TO ANTI-IMMGIRATION GROUP

Posted on January 10, 2011
Still much to learn about Mr. Loughner, but if anti-immigration hate drove this disturbed young man to shoot 20 people, it should give pause to the extremists who have been wratcheting up the anti-Latino, anti-immigrant rhetoric over the last few years...

THE AAO UNMASKED

Posted on January 08, 2011
Bender's Immigration Bulletin has published the findings of a Freedom of Information Act request submitted by Carlos Holguin of the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law as well as comments from my friend and fellow blogger Angelo Paparelli that show what a mess USCIS' appeals process is...

REPRESENTATIVE GIFFORDS SURVIVES SHOOTING

Posted on January 08, 2011
It is really too early to comment on the motives of the would be assassin, but it is truly a sad day for the country. It is a relief to hear that Representative Giffords, a hard worker on immigration issues, has survived, but the fact that five people, including a nine-year-old girl, lost their lives is just horrific...

BREAKING: STEVE KING DENIED IMMIGRATION SUBCOMMITTEE GAVEL

Posted on January 07, 2011
Woohoo! Gallegly is no friend of immigrants, but Steve King is in a league of his own. From HuffPost Hill: STEVE KING DENIED IMMIGRATION SUBCOMMITTEE GAVEL - House Judiciary Chairman Lamar Smith today selected Elton Gallegly to head up the Immigration Policy and Enforcement subcommittee...

H-1B EXHAUSTION TARGET: FEBRUARY 7, 2011

Posted on January 05, 2011
The big news is that the masters cap was hit as of December 24th. I had been predicting since last summer that this 20,000 quota would be hit in the last week of the year and the pace of usage stayed extremely consistent. The general quota has 7,700 visas of 65,000 remaining as of December 31st and the rolling four week average is now running at just over 1500...

AND HERE WE GO - BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP LATEST IMMIGRATION WEDGE ISSUE TO MOVE FRONT AND CENTER

Posted on January 04, 2011
When historians try and get in to the nitty gritty of how the Republican Party went the way of the Whigs, they might have a chapter on the GOP's pushing of this issue. There is ZERO chance birthright citizenship is going to be stripped from the Constitution...

ANTI-IMMIGRATION CENTER FOR IMMIGRATION STUDIES SUGGESTS WILLINGNESS TO COMPROMISE ON DREAM ACT

Posted on January 02, 2011
Perhaps there is a chance we'll see some action on the DREAM Act in 2011 albeit with some major tough to accept changes. The key areas likely to change are the education requirement (mandating actually receiving a degree versus simply attending school), the ability to sponsor relatives down the road when DREAM Act finally become citizens (at least 13 years out) and criminal bars on applying.

ARIZONA ANTIS PUSHING BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP MEASURE

Posted on December 30, 2010
Arizona's reputation for right wing lunacy certainly will be enhanced by this effort. Or maybe there's some pretty rational thinking behind SB1070 and eliminating rights for American born citizens of Hispanic descent. 30% of Arizonans are Hispanic. 42% of all students from kindergarten through twelth grade are Hispanic and the percentage goes even higher for the younger grades...

USCIS PLANNING TO MOVE TO PRE-REGISTRATION PROCESS FOR H-1B CAP CASES

Posted on December 28, 2010
USCIS has announced that it is working on a rule to create an electronic registration system for H-1B employers subject to the annual cap. Employers would first register an application and be allocated an H-1B cap number and then would file the case. The idea is that employers would need to register to claim an H-1B cap number first and then if they are selected, they then would prepare and file the case...

REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS SKIP HISPANIC FORUM

Posted on December 23, 2010
Apparently, they think the Tea Party is big enough to sweep them in.

OBAMA TO BLAME FOR DREAM'S FAILURE?

Posted on December 22, 2010
My friend Chuck Kuck lays out the case.

OBAMA TO ADDRESS IMMIGRATION PLANS IN STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS

Posted on December 22, 2010
The President has started revealing his plans on immigration for the next year. It sounds like he's planning on trying a do-over with Congress and attempting again to get a comprehensive immigration bill passed. He'll make the case for this in his State of the Union Address...

SCHUMACHER-MATOS: DREAM ACT LATEST IN LONG HISTORY OF SHAMEFUL ACTS IN CONGRESS

Posted on December 21, 2010
Washington Post columnist Edward Schumacher-Matos compares the vote to the Chinese Exclusion Act, the Indian Removal Act, the Fugitive Slave Law and other acts of Congress that reflect hate-filled periods in American history. And just like in those days, today's antis will insist racism has nothing to do with it (even though it has everything to do with it).

OBAMA MEETING WITH CONGRESSIONAL HISPANIC CAUCUS MEMBERS

Posted on December 21, 2010
Perhaps to discuss Plan B?

H-1B EXHAUSTION TARGET - FEBRUARY 19, 2011

Posted on December 21, 2010
11,100 H-1B visas remain of the 65,000 quota with 1500 more claimed over the last week. That's a moderate increase from the roughly 1200 used weekly over the last month. I'm pushing my exhaustion target up a week. The master's cap of 20,000 will be reached sometime this week, almost exactly the date I predicted several months ago...

PLAN B - THE EXECUTIVE OPTION

Posted on December 21, 2010
Over the last 24 hours, Senator Harry Reid and Senator Charles Schumer have both issued statements indicating that they intend to pursue comprehensive immigration reform in the 112th Congress. Do me a favor Senators. Let's not make this THE strategy for fixing the immigration system as we have since 2004...

TESTER STARTING TO FEEL THE HEAT

Posted on December 21, 2010
Montana Democrat Jon Tester voted against the DREAM Act last Saturday. While he was not alone, he did manage to upset one person who actually mattered a lot to Tester's being elected - Markos Moulitsas at the Daily Kos, one of the web's most popular blogs...

WHAT A GUY

Posted on December 20, 2010
Time's Joe Klein's review of John McCain's recent performance in the DREAM Act debate.

FOX NEWS ACCUSES ACTRESS PENELOPE CRUZ OF HAVING AN "ANCHOR BABY"

Posted on December 19, 2010
Wow, going after Penelope Cruz is really going to help the antis' cause.

DREAM ACT FAILS 55 TO 41

Posted on December 18, 2010
Awaiting official roll call. A damn shame. Kudos to Republicans Richard Lugar, Robert Bennett and Lisa Murkowski. And to Democrats Kay Hagan, Max Baucus, John Tester, David Pryor and Ben Nelson, thanks for the courage - not! Claire McCaskill - thank you! Remember, this bill failed by two votes since 40 votes were needed to end debate, not five.

USCIS OMBUDSMAN SEEKING IMMIGRATION LAW ANALYST

Posted on December 18, 2010
An FYI from a friend at the Ombudsman's office.

MARINE WIDOW PRIVATE BILL PASSES CONGRESS

Posted on December 16, 2010
Both Houses of Congress have approved a rare private bill for Hotaru Ferschke, the Japanese widow of Sgt. Michael Ferschke who hailed from my home state of Tennessee. This is only the second private bill approved in the last five years. The Ferschkes were married in July 2008 in a proxy ceremony conducted over the telephone, a common practice for soldiers and one that is recognized by the Department of Defense, because Michael was deployed in Iraq at the time...

DREAM ACT VOTE COMING LATE TOMORROW OR EARLY SATURDAY

Posted on December 16, 2010
Harry Reid filed for a cloture vote earlier tonight setting the clock in motion for a final vote on the measure.

H-1B EXHAUSTION TARGET - FEBRUARY 26, 2010

Posted on December 15, 2010
Despite the fact that we're nearing the end of the H-1B quota for fiscal year 2010, we still have not seen the pickup in usage some have been predicting. Last week, 1200 cap numbers were claimed against the 65,000 main quota, a number that is largely consistent with what we've seen for months...

Previous | Next

Related Law Bulletins

Philip Bess responds to Greg Sisk (read this!)
MOJ-friend Philip Bess sends in the following, in response to Greg...

Urbanism and Sprawl, Responding to Greg and Rick
Doh! I just spent the last 30 minutes writing a long response to R...

Question for Greg
A question for Greg, prompted by his characteristically thoughtful...

New Baptist Covenant Blog
Last week, I pointed to the New Baptist Convenant website, now onl...

The Mexico Trucker Blog
I've written before about the perceived problems with relaxed rest...