Boca Raton-based Ireeco LLC and its successor, Hong Kong-based Ireeco Ltd., made history Thursday by being the first to be charged with unregistered broker activity in the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program.
EB-5 Class Action Lawsuit Filed: Zhang v. USCIS (Cash is Cash)
"This is a putative class action brought by immigrant investors who sought and were unlawfully denied the chance to immigrate to the United States pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1153(b)(5), known as the “Immigrant Investor Law” or “EB-5 Program.”
Statement By Secretary Jeh C. Johnson On Family Residential Centers
VISA BULLETIN (JULY 2015)
Visa Bulletins are issued by the Department of State on a monthly basis, and summarize the availability of immigrant visa numbers for the given month.
Big news affecting Filipino nationals who have filed under the EB-3 category. As of July 2015, PHILIPPINES EMPLOYMENT THIRD PREFERENCE AND THIRD OTHER WORKER PREFERENCE CATEGORIES ARE UNAVAILABLE.
According to the Bulletin, "despite two retrogressions of the Philippines Employment Third and Third Other Worker cut-off dates in an attempt to hold number use within the annual limit, it has now become necessary to make the category “Unavailable” for the month of July."
Employment Authorization for Certain H-4 Dependent Spouses
Beginning May 26, 2015, certain H-4 dependent spouses of H-1B nonimmigrants can file Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, as long as the H-1B nonimmigrant has already started the process of seeking employment-based lawful permanent resident (LPR) status. Specifically, H-4 dependent spouses may apply for employment authorization if the H-1B nonimmigrant:
- Is the principal beneficiary of an approved Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker; or
- Has been granted H-1B status under sections 106(a) and (b) of the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-first Century Act of 2000 as amended by the 21st Century Department of Justice Appropriations Authorization Act (AC21). AC21 permits H-1B nonimmigrants seeking lawful permanent residence to work and remain in the United States beyond the six-year limit on their H-1B status.
The Employment Authorization for Certain H-4 Dependent Spouses final rule (H-4 rule), effective on May 26, 2015, seeks to support the goals of attracting and retaining highly skilled foreign workers and minimizing the disruption to U.S. businesses resulting from H-1B nonimmigrants who choose not to remain in the United States and pursue LPR status.