Immigration

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Coronavirus has affected millions of people all over the world. The global pandemic caused many non-essential businesses to temporarily shut down in states’ efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19. Here in Illinois, Governor J.B. Pritzker issued a stay-at-home order that has been in effect for the past several months. As a result, the typically congested Chicagoland area roads have been much emptier. However, despite fewer people commuting to work or for extracurricular activities, there has been an increase in the number of traffic accidents. Studies show there may be various reasons for these statistics, namely traffic violations.   Illinois…
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Last Monday, June 22nd, President Donald Trump issued an executive order restricting several employment-based visas until at least the end of the year. Citing those that “present a risk to the U.S. labor market following the coronavirus outbreak,” this order applies to would-be H-1B, H-2B, L-1, certain J-1 categories visa holders, and their dependents. Per the text of the executive order, it unequivocally applies only to those outside the U.S. on the effective date (June 24th) AND those without a valid visa stamp or travel document on that date. Given the crystal clear language in the order, our previous posts…
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President Trump has just issued his latest immigration ban. This one relates to temporary work/business visas. We’ve drafted a very quick summary of it. Note that this is not legal advice so please don’t rely on it as such and also note that the order has just been released so all we know are the below details. Effective Dates: It is effective IMMEDIATELY, which is pretty typical from this Administration. They don’t usually give notice or time to plan anything. It will remain in effect until the end of the year and it can be extended as “necessary.” There will…
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Today is a great day in the U.S. It’s a great day for all immigrants but especially for the “Dreamers”. It’s a celebratory day for immigration attorneys and grassroots advocates. Today is a win for the American Dream. A few hours ago, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) issued the long-awaited decision in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) case. Over 650,000 undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children had been granted work authorization and temporary protection from deportation through this Obama-era program known as DACA (the “Dreamers”). On September 5th, 2017, the Trump administration…
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In addition to it being Pride month, June is also Immigrant Heritage Month. To celebrate this, I Am An Immigrant is launching the first ever #NationalTakeoutNight, and it is happening this Thursday, June 18th! This campaign will highlight and support immigrant-owned restaurants, and also Black-owned restaurants in solidarity. The goal is to order from your favorite Black-owned or immigrant-owned restaurant, take a photo, and tag them with the hashtags #ImmigrantHeritageMonth & #NationalTakeoutNight. In advance of this, we have linked some articles listing Chicago-based Black-owned or immigrant-owned restaurants, as well as listing some of the McEntee Law Team’s favorite spots…
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Welcome back to our Immigration: Week in Review blog segment. Each week, we hope to bring you a central immigration news platform with snippets of immigration-related articles and full links if you want further info. Happy Reading! ICE Provides Clarification on “Cap Gap” for F-1OPT Students Changing Status to H-1B Earlier this week, ICE released a broadcast message clarifying when “cap gap” would apply to F-1 OPT students seeking an H-1B. Under certain circumstances, cap gap allows students who are applying for H-1B visas to bridge the gap between the end of their OPT period and the start of the…
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People across the globe dream of immigrating to the United States for a better life. In some cases, they may have family members who are already in the country and want to join them. For some, seeking asylum here offers freedom from persecution. In other scenarios, individuals may come to America specifically for employment reasons. Regardless of the reasons, once an immigrant lawfully enters this country, he or she will likely need to find a job to support himself or herself. If someone has a family, it may be even more critical to find work. Building a new life in…
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We’ve heard reports of ICE showing up at some of the #BlackLivesMatters protests. Here is some key info on your rights, and also tips on how to be an effective ally to your immigrant friends and neighbors. You have the right to remain silent. If you are asked where you were born or how you entered the US, you may refuse to answer. If you choose to remain silent, say so out loud. Allyship would look like EVERYONE AROUND YOU REMAINING SILENT TOO!!! You may refuse to show identity documents that say what country you are from but do not…
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Welcome back to our blog segment Immigration: Week in Review. Each week, we hope to bring you a central news platform for what has been going on in the world of U.S. immigration in a short, concise way. For additional information on any of the below, the original article will be linked within each sub-section. We Stand in Solidarity with the Black Lives Matter Protests & Movement Here at McEntee Law, we stand firmly in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter Protests and Movement. The anger and suffering we have seen over the past week is truly just a fraction…
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Welcome back to our weekly blog segment Immigration: Week in Review. Each week, we hope to bring you a central news platform for what has been going on in the world of U.S. immigration in a short, concise way. For additional information on any of the below, the original article will be linked within each sub-section. Happy Reading! Department of Justice Memo Shows EOIR Director Offered to Buy Out Immigration Board Members A memo from the Department of Justice (DOJ) released on April 17th shows that the DOJ offered buyouts to pre-Trump Administration career members on its influential immigration appeals…
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Welcome to our new weekly blog segment Immigration: Week In Review. Each week, we hope to bring you a central news platform for what has been going on in the world of U.S. immigration in a short, concise way. For additional information on any of the below, the original article will be linked within each sub-section. Happy Reading! USCIS Easing Visa Restrictions for Some Foreign Doctors The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is waiving certain visa restrictions so that foreign doctors assigned to rural communities may practice telehealth services outside their approved locations for the duration of the Coronavirus (COVID-19)…
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Unfortunately, not every married couple lives happily ever after. Life can present its fair share of challenges, such as a job loss or the death of a close friend or relative, and these issues can put a significant strain on a relationship. Some spouses may turn to alcohol or drugs as a means of coping with stress. When controlled substances are added into the mix, arguments can escalate and even lead to physical confrontations in certain situations. According to statistics from the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), one in three women and one in four men in the United…
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At McEntee Law Group, we are all too familiar with the personal impact COVID-19 has on immigrants here in the United States. As a law firm founded by a former international student, Fiona McEntee, we are aware of the challenges international students face when applying to study in the U.S. under “normal” circumstances. We are also painfully aware of the added layer of uncertainty and unease that COVID-19 adds to these international students and J-1 visa holders. We have drafted a short post highlighting some of the most common questions we are receiving from F-1 or J-1 visa holders,…
During today’s Coronavirus Task Force Briefing, President Donald Trump announced that he had signed his “Immigration Ban” – an Executive Order temporarily suspending the issuance of new green cards to those currently outside the United States. President Trump highlighted the Administration’s underlying policy rationales for the Order, claiming that immigrants have an adverse impact on the labor market during a period of high unemployment, that Department of State resources need to be preserved for U.S. citizens seeking assistance from consular offices abroad, and that immigrants allegedly strain the U.S healthcare system. Shortly after President Trump’s remarks, the White House posted…
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Last night, April 20th, President Donald Trump’s tweet created panic in immigrant households, businesses, and communities throughout the U.S. and abroad. He promised that he will be signing an Executive Order “temporarily suspending immigration into the United States.” At the time of writing this post, there is no official statement or Executive Order from the White House. There is no clear guidance from the Administration. All the information we have at this time is President Trump’s tweet and the various new articles citing anonymous or otherwise unconfirmed sources. Nevertheless, we understand how confusing and stressful it is to have such…
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The worldwide pandemic of COVID-19 has changed the way we live in just a matter of months. Local governments have issued “stay at home” orders and non-essential businesses have been closed for an indefinite amount of time. Individuals across the globe are practicing social distancing in an effort to flatten the curve for the number of new cases. Recently, the U.S. federal government announced the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The largest economic relief bill in U.S. history, the stimulus package will allocate $2.2 trillion in support to individuals and businesses affected by the economic plunge due…