New York, April 2009
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APPLICATIONS FOR U.S. CITIZENSHIP DECREASING
 New
York, NY - The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), reports that following
fiscal year 2008, there have been a decrease in applications for
U.S.
citizenship. In 2007, approximately 1.4 million individuals applied to
become U.S. citizens versus only 518,000 in fiscal year 2008. Theories as to
reasons why citizenship applications are down include the current U.S. economy
as well as the increase in immigration filing fees. In July of 2007, immigration
filing fees increased by almost 60 percent. Thus, many believe that the economy
coupled with costly filing fees have reduced the demand for U.S. citizenship
applications. Immigration officials are concerned about the decrease in
naturalizations, in which legal residents of the United States become
“assimilated” citizens. Applications for H1-B work visas have also decreased.
Conversely, however, applications for permanent residency, or
green cards,
have remained unaffected. |
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H-1B APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED BEGINNING APRIL 1
 Washington,
D.C. - The United States will begin accepting
H-1B visa applications beginning April 1, 2009. These applications will be
for fiscal year 2010, which actually begins on October 1, 2009. The USCIS
reported that the annual cap for H1-B visas for fiscal year 2010 is 65,000. The
first 20,000 applications received in which the applicants have earned a masters
degree or higher from a US school are exempt from the cap. Also excluded from
the cap include individuals who will be employed in higher education or at
nonprofit organizations. Companies receiving US government bailout money face
new restrictions, however. Under the “Employ American Workers Act” employers
receiving US governmental bailout money face tighter restrictions in applying
for H-1B Visas, in order to further ensure that American workers are not being
overlooked for positions. The USCIS reports that
these tighter restrictions will expire in 2 years. |
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PASSPORT DEMAND TRIGGERS DELAYS IN CALIFORNIA
 Los
Angeles, CA - The looming June 1st deadline that requires all citizens to
have a U.S. Passport or U.S. Passport Card for traveling by land or sea to
Mexico, Canada, and the Caribbean has already resulted in delays at California
passport agencies. The upcoming deadline is part of the Western Hemisphere
Travel Initiative, and passport wait times are expected to increase dramatically
as the June 1st deadline goes into effect. Because of the projected wait times,
warnings are being issued to U.S. citizens. A representative of the U.S. State
Department states, “The bottom line is that people should not wait to apply.
Even if they don't have travel planned, it's a good time to have it. You never
know if you might have some emergency you might have to attend to overseas." A
traditional U.S. Passport costs $100 for adults and is valid for 10 years. The
U.S. Passport Card is a viable alternative for budget conscious travelers who
are planning on traveling by land. While cheaper than a traditional U.S.
Passport, the Passport Card is not applicable for air travel. A U.S. Passport
Card costs $45 and is valid for 10 years.
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U.S. STRIVING TO ATTRACT MILLIONAIRE IMMIGRANTS
 Washington,
D.C. - In these times of tough economic conditions, the United States is
trying harder than ever to attract millionaire immigrants, with the hopes that
they will stimulate the economy through monetary investment and job creation.
Under the EB-5 Visa, individuals are able to immigrate to America and eventually
apply for citizenship if they are able to invest at least $500,000 in commercial
enterprises as well as create jobs. However, the EB-5 visa has been determined
by immigration analysts to be underutilized, most likely due to administrative
obstacles. As a result, it is being recommended that the
USCIS give priority to
reviewing EB-5 visa applications and work towards promoting the visa overseas.
Officials feel that through these measures, a greater number of applicants will
come to the United States under the EB-5 Visa, and more jobs for Americans will
be created.
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BORDER SECURITY AND MEXICO
 Trenton,
NJ - A healthy relationship with Mexico remains a priority for many top
United States officials for reasons including national security and immigration
reform. The surge of violence in Mexico has triggered visits to the country by
key U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. The
recent grotesque murders committed by drug cartels in Mexico have underlined
issues of U.S. border security with the neighboring country. Oftentimes, weapons
that are used by the Mexican drug cartels come through the United States.
Therefore, many political analysts claim that the United States needs to focus
on preventing the flow of illegal transportation of weapons to Mexico. Many
experts also remark that healthy ties with Mexico are also crucial in regards to
passing comprehensive immigration reform. Many believe that the United States
needs to implement tighter border security, which would allow immigrants to
work
in the United States legally, and Mexico needs to allow for more economic
opportunities in their country, to help alleviate the demand for immigration to
the United States.
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NO TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS FOR HAITIANS IN U.S.
 Miami,
FL - Approximately 30,000 Haitians were recently ordered to leave the United
States in a decision sparking much controversy. Haitian officials claim that
their country, which was ravished by hurricanes in the summer, needs time to
recover before it can be considered a safe place for people to reside. The
country has continuously asked the United States for temporary protected status
(TPS),
which would allow Haitian nationals to reside in the United States legally until
conditions in Haiti improve. Haiti maintains that if its citizens return at such
a high number, recovery efforts will undoubtedly be compromised. Nonetheless the
request for temporary protected status or “TPS” for Haitian was denied. Among
the 30,000 Haitians ordered for deportation from the U.S. include those that
were denied political asylum, missed immigration court dates, or overstayed the
amount of time allotted with their tourist visa. Areas with a high Haitian
population such as South Florida and New York, scheduled peaceful protests and
demonstrations in response to the deportation order.
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UNITED STATES IMMIGRATION SUPPORT
511 Avenue of the Americas # 45
New York, NY 10011
Phone: (646) 233-3836
Fax: (646)792-3296
Web: www.usimmigrationsupport.org
Email: info@usimmigrationsupport.org
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