Debate Over Trump’s Travel Ban Heats Up

Savage Villoch Law, PLLC — Fri, 26 May 2017 15:00:30 GMT

This week, a U.S. appeals court elected not to reinstate President Trump’s controversial travel ban. The decision by the appeals court moves the debate closer to the Supreme Court, as the issue gets more contentious. The order called for a restriction on travel for people from six countries with a majority Muslim population. It caused a great amount of fervor when it was rolled out in January, due to it’s hap-hazard execution as well as its seemingly discriminatory language. If you’ve been following the story, you know that it caused outrage and mass confusion at many U.S. airports as visa-holders from these countries were detained or denied entrance into the country. The poor roll-out was the initial reason for a judge in Hawaii to strike it down. The second order, while much in the same vein as the first, sought to correct the legal disparities of the initial ban, however that was also blocked by a Maryland judge before it could take effect.

Appeals Court Rejects ‘Travel Ban’

As stated in the majority ruling by the appeals court, the second travel ban was a thinly veiled attempt at pushing through the initial order. The Virginia-based appeals court blocked the order in a 10-3 ruling. Currently, the initial travel ban order blocked by a Hawaii judge is being heard by another appeals court in San Francisco. As the debate over the order heats up, it inches the case closer and closer to the Supreme Court. If this happens it could mean a monumental reconsideration of this country’s balance of governmental power. A Supreme Court case would necessitate a review of executive, judicial, and legislative reach. While the president’s powers to deny aliens is extensive, it is not absolute.

Immigration News

We will keep you updated as the order continues to move through the appeals process. Check our blog for latest updates on the travel ban and other immigration news.

USCIS Reaches the H-2B Cap for Fiscal Year 2017 | USCIS

Savage Villoch Law, PLLC — Tue, 21 Mar 2017 03:02:02 GMT

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has received a sufficient number of petitions to reach the congressionally mandated H-2B cap for fiscal year 2017.

March 13, 2017 was the final receipt date for new H-2B worker petitions requesting an employment start date before October 1, 2017.

What Happens After Reaching the Cap
Except as noted below, USCIS will reject new H-2B petitions received after March 13 that request an employment start date before October 1, 2017.
Petitions That Are Exempt from the Cap
USCIS will continue to accept H-2B petitions that are exempt from the congressionally mandated cap. This includes the following types of petitions:

Current H-2B workers in the U.S. petitioning to extend their stay and, if applicable, change the terms of their employment or change their employers;
Fish roe processors, fish roe technicians and/or supervisors of fish roe processing; and
Workers performing labor or services from November 28, 2009 until December 31, 2019, in the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands and/or Guam.