Palmer Polaski Blog

It is well known that it is possible to check USICS case processing times online for each type of application; less known, however, is that it is also possible to check USCIS’s historic processing times. USCIS provides historical processing times for select forms from Fiscal Year 2012 to Fiscal Year 2022 on the Historic Processing […]

On August 24, 2022, DHS Secretary Mayorkas announced a final rule that will preserve and fortify Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The final rule is effective on October 31, 2022. This will allow for the maintenance of the current criteria for DACA and retains the same process to seek work authorization. Unfortunately, since July […]

TPS Designated for Cameroon: On April 15, 2022, DHS announced its designation for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Cameroon. Cameroon has been designated for an 18-month period, beginning June 7, 2022, and ending on December 7, 2023. To be eligible, Cameroonian nationals must, among other things, have been residing continuously in the United States as […]

Many Afghan citizens who fear harm from the Taliban have been denied by USCIS to enter on humanitarian parole. Humanitarian parole is not meant to be a pathway to lawful permanent residence in the U.S., nor does it grant an immigration status. When granted, it allows individuals in danger to temporarily enter the United States […]

USCIS announced an expansion of the premium processing service for certain pending Form I-140 petitions. The agency will now allow applicants who previously filed under EB-1C multinational executive and manager and EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW) categories to premium process their petitions. USCIS hopes that this change will help alleviate the lengthy processing delays in […]

On April 7, 2022, Ketanji Brown Jackson was confirmed by the Senate on a 53 to 47 vote, which will make her the first Black woman to serve as a Justice on the Supreme Court. Judge Brown Jackson’s well-rounded legal experience makes her unquestionably qualified for her seat. With nearly a decade as a federal […]

The following is a summary of recent precedent setting decisions from the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), the appellate level immigration court. All of these cases involve the interpretation of criminal actions for immigration purposes. In Matter of Wong, 28 I&N Dec. 518, decided on March 30, 2022, the Board held that a conviction for […]

With some case types taking exceedingly long for USCIS to adjudicate, and with other cases falling through the cracks, often attorneys get inquiries from individuals looking to get their cases “back on track,” and promptly decided. This column is meant to provide the latest information about this topic. USCIS recently updated its case processing times […]

On January 28, 2022, the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) issued a ruling in Matter of Laparra, holding that a properly served noncitizen has received sufficient notice of a hearing, even if that respondent was served a noncompliant “notice to appear” that did not specify the time or place of the hearing This decision will […]

On March 17, 2022, the Biden Administration announced that U.S. citizens living overseas with immediate family members, but have not yet filed I-130 petitions, may file at a local U.S. embassy or consulate to process the immigrant visa. Eligible immediate relatives consist of spouses, unmarried children under the age of 21, and parents who fled […]