Latest News

On Tuesday, September 1, 2015, the Department implemented software updates to the Permanent Labor Certification Case Management System (CMS). An unexpected programming glitch occurred which impacted a small number of applications and resulted in the prohibition of certain information being entered onto the ETA Form 9089. The Department is working to correct this issue.

Until the revisions become operational, an employer who cannot complete and file an ETA Form 9089 online should mail in their application to the Atlanta National Processing Center at the following address:

USCIS, in coordination with Department of State (DOS), is revising the procedures for determining visa availability for applicants waiting to file for employment-based or family-sponsored preference adjustment of status. The revised process will better align with procedures DOS uses for foreign nationals who seek to become U.S. permanent residents by applying for immigrant visas at U.S. consulates and embassies abroad.

WASHINGTON—Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson announced his decision to designate Yemen for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months due to the ongoing armed conflict within the country.

USCIS has simplified the process for paying the USCIS Immigrant Fee online in our electronic immigration system. The revised payment process reduces the amount of information an immigrant must provide to USCIS. Additionally, in response to customer feedback, anyone can now pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee for an immigrant. For example, a family member, friend, employer, attorney, or accredited representative can pay the fee as long as they have the immigrant’s Alien Registration Number (A-Number) and DOS Case ID.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today announced the launch of a Spanish-language myE-Verify, plus the addition of Case Tracker and Case History services to the English and Spanish myE-Verify websites. myE-Verify is a one-stop shop for employees and job seekers to access features for identity protection in E-Verify and visibility into the E-Verify process.   

Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson has extended Haiti’s designation for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for an additional 18 months. The extended designation is effective Jan. 23, 2016, through July 22, 2017.

In order to balance workloads, USCIS recently began transferring some cases from the Vermont Service Center to the California Service Center. The affected cases include:

• Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative
• Form I-751, Petition to Remove the Conditions on Residence

How You Will Be Affected

A Washington DC Federal court has held that DHS improperly promulgated the 2008 regulations creating the 17-month OPT CAP GAP extension for STEM graduates (strictly speaking, this is not reallly "CAP GAP" issue).  According to the court, DHS should have placed the proposed regulation before the public, allowed everyone to comment, considered the comments and then published the final regulation.  Thus, DHS violated the procedural mandate requiring "notice and comment."  According to the court, there was no good reason to skip the "notice and comment" mandate.

• Dear Stakeholder,