BAL Immigration Report

A lawsuit aims to stop U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services fee hikes.

State Department data shows a continued increase in green card issuance.

And with March Madness tipping off, the BAL Sports & Entertainment team creates a tournament bracket of their own.

Guests: Gabriel Castro & Tiffany Derentz.

NCAA Tournament highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uH5ltiHSJqE; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7xJQZFjAk8

A federal judge dismisses a lawsuit challenging a Biden administration immigration program.

H-1B denial rates rose slightly in 2023.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announces it has reached the H-2B cap for the second half of the fiscal year.

And an H-1B cap update with BAL Senior Associate Matt Dillinger.

We cover all of this and more on this week's BAL Immigration Report.

Guest: Matt Dillinger.

Law360: H-1B Season Opens With Mix Of Optimism And Apprehension

BAL Survey: Though uncertainty remains, 57 percent say increases won't hurt their global edge | BAL Immigration Law

H-1B registration opens.

Canada imposes a visa requirement on some travelers from Mexico.

And a new study from the Cato Institute shows that just 3% of immigrant applicants for green cards will receive them in 2024.

We cover all of this and more on this week's BAL Immigration Report.

Guests: BAL's Brittney Quezada-Reed, the Cato Institute's David Bier.

Updates from USCIS Doug Rand, Senior Advisor to the Director: https://uscis24.splashthat.com/

Why National Interest Waivers Are Increasingly Common in the Green Card Process | BAL Immigration Law

The BAL Immigration Report: Episode 64 | Full Interview: https://www.youtube.com/@BAL_llp

Green Card Approval Rate Reaches Record Lows: https://www.cato.org/briefing-paper/green-card-approval-rate-reaches-record-lows

Certain Ukrainian citizens in the United States are now eligible to apply for re-parole.

H-1B denial rates rose slightly in 2023.

And the Society for Human Resource Management, or SHRM, pushes for much-needed reforms to employment-based immigration.

We cover all of this and more on this week's BAL Immigration Report.

Guests: BAL's Kelli Duehning, SHRM's Emily M. Dickens.

BAL USCIS fee increases survey: https://go.bal.com/BALsurveys_USCISfees24

President Biden moves to allow certain Palestinians to stay in the U.S.

Premium processing fees are about to go up.

And why national interest waivers are increasingly common in the green card process.

We cover all of this and more on this week's BAL Immigration Report.

Guests: Storm Estep, Naz Ali.

USCIS fee and H-1B rules webinar: https://bal.cventevents.com/event/2024feeincrease/summary?Refid=bal.com&locale=en-US

BAL Community: National Interest Waiver filings best practices: National Interest Waiver Filings (splashthat.com)

USCIS reduces its case backlog.

The Department of Labor extends a deadline for input on its Schedule A job classification list.

And how a pair of Supreme Court cases about the fishing industry could reshape immigration processes.

Guest: Jeff Joseph.

The business community shows support for DACA.

BAL provides analysis on how immigration filing fees will impact U.S. companies.

And why it may be a good idea for some U.S. residents to think about applying for citizenship.

We cover all of this and more on this week's BAL Immigration Report.

Guest: Tiffany Lam-Bentley.

Impact of the new USCIS fee increase rule: https://www.bal.com/perspectives/impact-of-the-new-uscis-fee-increase-rule/

BAL webinar: 2024 USCIS fee and H-1B rules: https://bal.cventevents.com/event/2024feeincrease/summary?Refid=bal.com&locale=en-US

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announces that H-1B registration will open March 6.

The State Department kicks off its domestic visa renewal pilot.

And the government publishes two regulations with big implications for immigration programs.

We cover all of this and more on this week's BAL Immigration Report.

Guest: Amy Lighter.

USCIS Fee Calculator: www.bal.com/insights/uscis-fee-calculator/

A new USCIS fee schedule clears White House review. Companies are in the midst of H-1B contingency planning. And Bloomberg Law's Andrew Kreighbaum joins us to discuss calls for increased work permit options for migrants. Guests: BAL Partner Michelle Funk, Bloomberg Law's Andrew Kreighbaum H-1B domestic visa renewal pilot pre-assessment tool: H-1B Domestic Visa Renewal Pilot | BAL Immigration Law Labor Crunch Fuels Pursuit of Expanded Immigrant Work Options Labor Crunch Fuels Pursuit of Expanded Immigrant Work Options (bloomberglaw.com)

A final H-1B rule is under White House review.

The Supreme Court hears a pair of cases that could have a big impact on immigration.

And a look at the impact of immigration filing fee increases on touring artists and musicians.

Guest: Gabriel Castro.

Immigration outlook: Five questions for 2024: www.bal.com/perspectives/immigration-outlook-five-questions-for-2024/