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Government Accountability Office Concludes that Pre-Travel VWP Rejections Could Prove Burdensome to Consulates - The U.S. GAO reports that a 1% to 3% rejection rate for Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) pre-travel VWP online registration would create significant new visa processing burdens on Consulates, while the addition of additional countries into the VWP would not. (1/16/2009)

Right to Counsel in Removal Hearings - Outgoing Attorney General Michael Mukasey has overruled three 2008 Board of Immigration Appeals decisions and concluded that aliens posses no Fifth Amendment right to effective assistance of counsel in removal proceedings. His determination would permit the Department of Justice to reopen removal proceedings where an alien shows that he or she was prejudiced by the actions of private counsel. (1/16/2009)

Naturalization Case Processing Times for Local Offices - USCIS has published its current processing times for naturalization cases for the federal fiscal year ending September 30, 2008. The Washington D.C. office has reduced its processing time to 9.8 months from an estimated 12.7 months in September, 2008, and 14.7 months in April, 2008. In recent months, the Washington District offices have been conducting naturalization interviews in less than four months from filing an N-400. By the end of December 2008, USCIS estimates it will have completed over 1 million naturalization cases this year. Eleven offices are currently averaging 5-month processing times, which is USCIS' targeted processing time. (11/11/2008)

ICE Arrests Former Agroprocessor CEO - Former CEO of Agriprocessors Inc. Sholom Rubashkin was arrested at the end of October in Iowa, facing charges of conpsiracy, document fraud, and aggravated identity theft, for allegedly distributing money intended for the purchase of fake permanent resident cards. Rubashkin could face up to 10 years in prison and fines in excess of $250,000 if found guilty. (11/5/2008)

US DHS Secretary signs interim Visa Waiver Program Declaration with Romania - The White House Press Secretary issued a release stating that Secretary Michael Chertoff signed a declaration with Romanian Ambassador Adrian Vierita, furthering the country's progress towards visa-free travel to the U.S. and designation as a VWP member. (11/4/2008)

Lengthened Trade-NAFTA Period of Stay– USCIS has issued a press release announcing an increase in the maximum period of stay for a TN professional worker to three years (up from the current one year maximum) before the worker must seek readmission or obtain an extension of stay.  The new policy appears to take effect immediately, but the final text has not yet issued. (10/15/2008)

Diversity Visa Lottery Open - The State Department announced that the filing window for the 2010 Diversity Lottery runs from October 2 until December 1, 2008. Up to 55,000 Diversity visas are available each fiscal year to persons born in countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. (10/13/2008)

Delayed EAD Processing - The USCIS Ombudsman has recommended procedures for USCIS to use in cases where Employment Authorization adjudications have been delayed beyond the 90 days required by regulation. Among other things, the recommendation calls for Receipt Notices for EAD renewals to include language authorizing continued employment pending final adjudication. (10/13/2008)

HIV Rule Change - DHS has adopted a streamlined process for HIV-positive non-immigrants to enter the US for up to 30 days. (10/13/2008)

Inter-Country Adoption FAQ - USCIS has issued an FAQ regarding Inter-Country Adoptions in light of U.S. implementation of the Hague Adoption Convention in April 2008. (10/13/2008)

New Naturalization Test - USCIS began administering its new naturalization test on October 1, 2008. Persons filing applications prior to October 1, 2008 may choose between the old and new tests. New applications will be required to take the new one. USCIS has published practice questions for the new version. (10/13/2008)

ICE Arrests - ICE agents arrested 331 people, including a plant supervisor in South Carolina in relation to a 10-month criminal investigation into Columbia Farms poultry processing plant’s employment practices. In California, the largest Special Operation in the state targeting criminal aliens and illegal alien fugitives led to the arrest of over 1,100 immigration violators. (10/13/2008)

Benefit Fraud and Compliance Assessment – H-1B Petitions – A USCIS report asserts that 21% of a random sampling of 246 H-1b cases were either patently fraudulent or were in technical violation of H-1b rules. The report found the highest incidence of noncompliance in smaller and newer employers and for position in accounting, human resources, business analysis, and sales and advertising. (10/13/2008)

Temporary Protected Status Extensions - DHS has extended for 18 months TPS for nationals of Honduras, Nicaragua, and El Salvador who are residing in the U.S. Honduras and Nicaragua TPS have been extended to July 5, 2010, and El Salvador TPS until September 9, 2010. (10/13/2008)

U.S. Passport Card in Production - State and DHS announce that Passport Cards used for travel between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean are now being distributed. The card is valid only for U.S. entry by land and sea. (7/23/2008)

USCIS Freedom of Information Act Status Online - USCIS has established a web site permitting FOIA applicants to determine the status of pending requests. Now you can learn in real time that the agency is still sitting on your application. (7-8-2008)

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