Immigration Review: 4/19-4/26

US Immigration News & Notes

New USCIS International Field Office: USCIS announced the upcoming opening of international field offices in Doha, Qatar, and Ankara, Turkey, to increase capacity for refugee processing, strengthen strategic partnerships, and facilitate interagency cooperation. Services at both locations will be available only by appointment.

Citizenship and Integration Grant Program: USCIS has announced the application period for the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program , which provides funding for citizenship preparation programs in communities across the country. The program will provide up to $10 million in grants to prepare legal immigrants for naturalization and promote civic integration through increased knowledge of English, US history, and civics.

What We’re Watching:

• The Biden administration is considering granting "parole in place " to undocumented immigrants who are married to U.S. citizens. Parole in place would provide temporary legal status, work permits, and, for some, a possible pathway to citizenship. Advocates believe that a parole in place program for mixed-status families could have an impact similar to President Obama’s DACA program.
• Texas’ controversial new immigration law, S.B. 4, which would allow local Texas law enforcement to arrest and deport people they believe are undocumented, has become a blueprint for other states to implement similar laws.

Global Immigration News & Notes

European Union: The EU Commission allows multiple-entry Schengen visas for India, Bahrain, Oman and Saudi Arabia.

Finland: The Finnish Immigration Service (Migri ) has announced that it will begin using automated post-decision monitoring of start-up entrepreneurs' residence permits on April 24, 2024. The purpose of post-decision monitoring is to verify that start-up entrepreneurs still meet the permit requirements.

Indonesia: Effective April 1, 2024, the Directorate General of Immigration at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights has implemented a Transitional Stay Permit policy, also known as a Bridging Visa. This residence permit acts as a 'bridge' between a previous residence permit and a new residence permit.

Malaysia: Effective April 24, 2024, all new and renewal Employment Pass (EP) applications for MDEC-registered companies must be submitted through the Xpats Gateway using the same login credentials as the MDEC Expats System.

Mexico: On April 18, 2024, the Mexican government announced that it had postponed the effective date of its requirement for Peruvian nationals to obtain an entry visa for tourism or business, previously due to enter into force on April 20, 2024.

What We’re Reading

Opinion: You don’t want immigrants? Then tell grandma she can never retire. Catherine Rampell | Washington Post, 04/23/24

Opinion: Let immigrants save the heartland The Editorial Board | Washington Post, 04/20/24

Opinion: In a two-issue election, Biden should act now on immigration Fareed Zakaria | CNN, 04/19/24

Trump called this visa 'very bad' for Americans. Truth Social applied for one Adriana Gomez Licon | ABC News, 04/22/24

Despite a fortified border, migrants will keep coming, analysts agree. Here's why. Sergio Martínez-Beltrán | NPR News, 04/22/24

What We’re Listening To

Join us for a gnarly ride forward to the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. In this episode of the Immigration Nerds podcast, we keep it stateside and examine why the P-1A is the visa that lets professional, international athletes be everywhere they want to be.

EIG attorney, skateboard enthusiast, and P-1 visa expert, Sebastian Zavala, joins host Lauren Clarke for a medal-worthy episode.