In November 2010, USCIS transferred approximately 36,000 Immediate Relative petitions from our California Service Center to our Texas Service Center. We anticipated that this redistribution of work would result in more timely adjudication of these petitions. Due to a number of unforeseen circumstances at our Texas Service Center, many of these cases have not been processed and are beyond our estimated processing times. We sincerely regret any inconvenience this may have caused you and we are making every effort to remedy this situation as soon as possible.

Release Date: February 9, 2011

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010

On January 19, 2011, The Department published a Final Rule with a request for comments on specific issues (76 FR 3452), which are identified in the Final Rule. The Department has established an email address for the convenience of those who wish to submit comments through this mechanism. Comments may be submitted to the email address at H-2BFinalWageRule@dol.gov. Comments may also be submitted as indicated in the Final Rule to William L. Carlson, Ph.D., Administrator, Office of Foreign Labor Certification, ETA, U.S.

Attention Former Tri-Valley University Students

If you were formerly enrolled as an F-1 student at TVU and have been terminated in SEVIS, please note the following.

SEVP terminated the records of all F-1 students enrolled at TVU as of January 18, 2011. You should call SEVP Response Center (SRC) at 703-603-3400. This number will be staffed from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (EST), seven days a week. At other times you may leave a telephone number at which SEVP will return your call the next day.

To: All SEVIS Users
Date: February 7, 2011
Re: Consideration of Former F-1 Students from Tri-Valley University for Enrollment
Number: 1101-02

On January 18, 2011, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) either cancelled or terminated all initial, active and transfer-in student records associated with Tri-Valley University (TVU) in Pleasanton, California.
Students enrolled at TVU and those who entered the United States but have not enrolled at TVU are unable to maintain F-1 status.

On October 20, 2010, the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) and the Office of Public Engagement (OPE) hosted the first ever national stakeholder engagement regarding the AAO.

This Policy Memorandum (PM) provides guidance regarding the analysis that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) officers who adjudicate these petitions should use when evaluating evidence submitted in support of Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, filed for:

Aliens of Extraordinary Ability under section 203(b)(1)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA);

Outstanding Professors or Researchers under section 203(b)(1)(B) INA; and

Aliens of Exceptional Ability under section 203(b)(2) INA.