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Please find attached Details of USCIS National Stakeholder Meeting which was held on July 27, 2009.

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) proposed rule on the removal of HIV infection from its list of communicable diseases of public health significance - As of now with respect to the above proposed rule the Chicago Field Office has not received any guidance from HQ. Hence the office will not hold such applications in suspension until further notice.

 
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Application Support Center (ASC) stand-alone sites will move to a Monday through Friday schedule beginning Nov. 2, 2009.  Stand-alone ASCs are those which are not co-located with other federal offices and which previously operated Tuesday through Saturday.  All ASCs, both stand-alone and co-located sites, will continue to be open from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.

The DOL released a memo to regional administrators and district directors regarding travel and visa expenses of H-2B workers under FLSA minimum wage laws. In January 2009, the Department ofHomeland Security delegated to Wage and Hour enforcement authority to ensure that H-2B workers are employed in compliance with the H-2B labor certification requirements. Wage and Hour issued regulations implementing this authority, 29 C.F.R. Part 655, which became effective on January 18,2009. Those regulations are applicable to applications for certifications filed on or after that date.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the Office of Management and Budget has extended its approval of Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) to Aug. 31, 2012.  Consequently, USCIS has amended the form to reflect a new revision date of Aug. 7, 2009. 

Employers may use the Form I-9 with the revision date of either Aug. 7, 2009 or Feb. 2, 2009.  The revision dates are located on the bottom right-hand portion of the form.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano announced new directives to enhance and clarify oversight for searches of computers and other electronic media at U.S. ports of entry—a critical step designed to bolster the Department’s efforts to combat transnational crime and terrorism while protecting privacy and civil liberties.

[Federal Register: August 28, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 166)]
[Notices]
[Page 44376-44377]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28au09-66]

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

Agency Information Collection Activities: Form I-600/I-600A, Revision of a Currently Approved Information Collection; Comment Request

[Federal Register: August 28, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 166)]
[Notices]
[Page 44375-44376]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28au09-65]

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

Agency Information Collection Activities: Form I-485 and Supplements A and E, Revision of a Currently Approved Information Collection; Comment Request

Here is a document USDOL (Wage and Hour Division) is using to send to employees.  This outlines the factors USDOL is most interested in when investigating an employer.

DOJ flyers for employers and employees on Form I-9 document issues for persons covered by Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or Deferred Enforced Departure (DED).

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

Fact Sheet: DHS Blue Campaign 

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano today launched the “Blue Campaign”—a DHS-wide initiative to combat human trafficking through enhanced public awareness, victim assistance programs, and law enforcement training and initiatives.

The Department has posted new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) addressing filing and documentation requirements in response to questions received from the regulated community. To view the PERM Round 11 FAQs, please check attachent. 

This final rule amends the Department of State's regulations related to the application for an immigrant visa and alien registration, to offer a completely electronic application procedure as an alternative to submission of Form DS-230, the Application for
Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration.

This rule is effective August 3, 2010.

At present, the United States has two main programs for temporarily importing low-skilled workers, sometimes referred to as guest workers. Agricultural guest workers enter through the H-2A visa program, and other guest workers enter through the H-2B visa program. Employers interested in importing workers under either program must first apply to the U.S. Department of Labor for a certification that U.S. workers capable of performing the work are not available and that the employment of alien workers will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of similarly employed U.S.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Department of State today issued a joint statement on the decision to suspend processing for new adoption cases based on abandonment in Nepal.
 
Joint Statement

U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) experienced technical difficulties with the Form I-797C, Notice of Action - Fingerprint Notification.  USCIS did not print and mail this form to asylum applicants living in California and Arizona between July 8, 2010 and August 4, 2010. 

What You Should Do

Go to the nearest USCIS Application Support Center (ASC) for fingerprinting and biometrics collection before your asylum interview if you:

AAO Processing Times as of August 01, 2010.

[Federal Register: August 3, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 148)] [Notices]
[Page 45628-45629]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr03au10-71]

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of the Secretary

Delayed Update of the HHS Poverty Guidelines for the Remainder of 2010

AGENCY: Department of Health and Human Services.

ACTION: Notice.

To provide a more efficient and effective initial processing of applications and fees, USCIS is transitioning the intake of additional forms from USCIS Service Centers to USCIS Lockbox facilities. Centralizing form and fee intake allows USCIS to utilize the Lockbox facilities technology to put your application into our system.  

Visa Bulletin for September 2010.

[Federal Register: August 11, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 154)]
[Rules and Regulations]              
[Page 48555-48562]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr11au10-7]                        

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