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

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) initiated the orderly wind down of the program known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

On Sept. 5, 2017, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) initiated the orderly phase out of the program known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). DHS will provide a limited, six-month window during which it will consider certain requests for DACA and applications for work authorization, under specific parameters.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) resumed premium processing today for all H-1B visa petitions subject to the Fiscal Year year (FY) 2018 cap. The FY 2018 cap has been set at 65,000 visas. Premium processing has also resumed for the annual 20,000 additional petitions that are set aside to hire workers with a U.S. master’s degree or higher educational degree.

Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke has determined that conditions in Sudan no longer support its designation for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) after reviewing country conditions, and after Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials’ consultations with the appropriate U.S. government agencies. Acting Secretary Duke is extending benefits for beneficiaries of Sudan TPS for 12 months to allow for an orderly transition before the designation terminates on Nov. 2, 2018.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is no longer accepting petitions from U. S. employers seeking to hire temporary nonagricultural workers under the one-time increase to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 H-2B cap announced in July.

For the first time, in May, Congress delegated its authority to the Secretary of Homeland Security to increase the number of temporary nonagricultural work visas available to U.S. employers through FY 2017.

On Sept. 5, 2017, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) initiated the orderly phase out of the program known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). DHS will provide a limited, six-month window during which it will consider certain requests for DACA and applications for work authorization, under specific parameters.

Beginning Sept. 18, 2017, employers must use Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, with revision date 07/17/17 N, to verify the identity and work eligibility of every new employee hired after Nov. 6, 1986, or for the reverification of expiring employment authorization of current employees (if applicable).

Background

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has awarded nearly $10 million in grants to 45 public and private non-profit organizations across the country to help lawful permanent residents prepare for naturalization. The grants also help these organizations promote prospective citizens’ assimilation into American civic life by funding educational programs designed to increase their knowledge of English, U.S. history and civics.

Release Date: Sept. 28, 2017

The following chart shows the changes that have been made to the Country Reciprocity Tables since the last publication.

Also, additional items may have been added to DOS homepage reflecting the various clearances that are required for some nationality groups, certain Presidential Proclamations affecting visa issuance, and the "Temporary Reciprocity Schedule" that is used for newly-independent countries, or when deemed necessary.

USCIS recently updated the following form(s):

Update to Form I-929, Petition for Qualifying Family Member of a U-1 Nonimmigrant05/01/2017 02:00 PM EDT

New edition dated 04/13/17. You may also file using the 12/23/16 edition.

For more information, please visit Forms Updates page.

Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly announced the official launch of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement Office (VOICE).  The VOICE office will assist victims of crimes committed by criminal aliens.

ICE built the VOICE office in response to the Executive Order entitled Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States, which directed DHS to create an office to support victims of crimes committed by criminal aliens.

USCIS announced on May 3, 2017, that it has completed data entry of all fiscal year 2018 H-1B cap-subject petitions selected in our computer-generated random process. USCIS will now begin returning all H-1B cap-subject petitions that were not selected. Due to the high volume of filings, USCIS is unable to provide a definite time frame for returning these petitions. USCIS asks petitioners not to inquire about the status of submitted cap-subject petitions until they receive a receipt notice or an unselected petition is returned.

TAMPA, Fla. — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) assisted in an investigation that led to U.S. District Judge Charlene E. Honeywell sentencing Rosa Cingari to 12 years and 7 months in federal prison and Domenico Cingari to 8 years and 1 month in federal prison for conspiracy, making false statements in immigration applications and petitions, and mail fraud. The Court also ordered the Cingaris to forfeit real property located at 130 West Park Street in Lakeland, which was used to facilitate the offenses.