Ellen Freeman Immigration Law Group, PLLC

If you are a parent of a foreign student in the US and you have not hired an immigration attorney, you are doing your child a disservice. I often wonder about parents making a huge financial investment into their child’s US education without ensuring their child’s safety and wellbeing. Yes, the United States offers the best higher education at the best global academic institutions. But the journey is difficult not only due to it’s academic vigors and the challenges of fitting in. Kids get in trouble, they drink and party, they speed, they get into fights, they fail classes, AND they get enamored with political and social causes of a foreign country. If you are a good parent, it is your job to protect your children. That means making sure they have easy access to a reputable immigration lawyer who is there for your child. No time like now. Everything is on the line. It may be a good idea to visit them over the summer break and avoid your child’s international travel. #immigrationlawyer #immigrationattorney #f1 #freemanimmigration #pittsburghproud #foreignstudent #j1

How has the current Administration decided to close these consular posts in Europe? To sell off the buildings? To deminish the visa processing capacity and consular presence? Our consular posts play vital roles and are not”waste, fraud, and abuse” I could not contain my excitement upon seeing the US Consulate in Florence, Italy in 2017

BREAKING: CAIR Warns Immigrants from Pakistan, Other Potential Muslim Ban Countries Not to Travel Overseas This Month Although we do not know for sure whether the administration will issue a new ban or which countries would be targeted, we encourage immigrants in the United States who are citizens of Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Palestine/Gaza, Pakistan,?Somalia,?Sudan,?Syria, and Yemen?to avoid international travel until the administration’s deadline for a new ban passes. This can help ensure that you are not trapped overseas and banned from the United States if a ban comes into effect before your return trip.

Six years ago I have made a leap by leaving Big Law and corporate world behind and starting Ellen Freeman Immigration Law Group, PLLC Cheers to many more years with deep gratitude to friends, colleagues, and clients who helped me succeed along the way!

On January 15, 2025, USCIS published updated policy guidance outlining how it evaluates eligibility for #EB2NIW. Consistent with #RFE - requests for additional evidence and denial decisions?that I have been reviewing over the past 6 months, the Service has imposed a significantly higher standard for National Importance. Hardly any endeavor meets the new nation-wide impact for the criteria of #nationalimportance. Every single RFE and Denial alleges that the foreign national's endeavor benefits only the current employer or the local area. To avoid being overturned for one issue denial, the Service also alleges that, on balance, the labor certification test of the labor market #PERM requirement should not be waived. Graduate students, fellows, #J1 status holders, #O1 status holders can still claim that there is no prospective employer to file a labor certification. Most foreign nationals will not qualify and should reexamine their avenues for legal permanent residence in the U.S. #NIW #immigrationattorney #freemanimmigration #greencard #nationalinterest

According to this CBS article, the new USCIS memo was issued on February 14 by Acting USCIS Director Andrew Davidson and ordered an agency-wide "administrative pause" on all "pending benefit requests" filed by applicants paroled through a parole program. These immigration benefits include TPS, asylum, EADs, and adjustment of status. Apparently, the memo cited fraud, public safety, and security concerns as its justification. This is the worst move to date in the treatment of Ukrainian parolees …

Honored to speak on Ethics, Compliance, and Managing Clients Expectations at the 6th Global Migration Annual European Conference in Athens, Greece with CILS - Center for International Legal Studies, Gary McIndoe, Sara Sousa Rebolo, Bernard Caris

Please join me on February 27, 2025 at Noon EST for a virtual webinar and update on current state of business immigration rules and procedures #immigrationnews #freemanimmigration #immigrationattorney #H1B #immigrationlawyer