The U.S. Department of Justice’s Statement on the 18th Anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act
VIA the US DOJ
Attorney General Eric Holder released the following statement today on the 18th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act:
“Since the landmark Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) became law 18 years ago today, VAWA has vastly improved our ability to address domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking and has helped countless victims of these crimes get access to needed services. It’s important to remember that none of this progress has been inevitable – it has been the result of the tireless work of advocates, law enforcement, prosecutors, and others. On the front lines of this effort, the Office on Violence Against Women administers VAWA programs, providing states, territories, local and tribal governments, and nonprofit organizations with critical resources to initiate and sustain efforts to reduce and stop violence against women. As Congress moves to consider reauthorizing this critical law, we urge lawmakers to come together on a bipartisan basis, as it has historically, to pass a VAWA reauthorization that expands rather than limits victim access to justice and strengthens law enforcement and prosecutorial tools to seek justice and hold violators accountable. VAWA has been strengthened each time it has been reauthorized, with bipartisan support, and this year after 18 years of progress, it should be no different.”
Fact Sheet on Obtaining Social Security Number for Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
VIA SSA.gov
Social Security Number Fact Sheet for Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
Am I eligible for a Social Security number?
• If the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) grants you Deferred Action status and employment authorization, you may be eligible for a Social Security number.
• After you receive your Employment Authorization Card (I-766) from USCIS, you can apply for a Social Security number.
How do I apply for a Social Security number?
• You must visit a Social Security office in person to complete and sign an application for a Social Security number. Find your local office at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/locator.
• You must bring your USCIS-issued Employment Authorization Card (I-766) and proof of age and identity.
Department of Health and Human Services provides a notice of amendment on definition of “lawfully present”
The Department of Health and Human Services provides a notice of amendment to interim final rule on the definition of “lawfully present” for rules governing health insurance exchanges & tax credits to ensure that people applying for deferred action are not eligible.
Attorney Sharma’s PolicyMic Article: Infosys Visa Fraud: Judge Dismisses Whistleblower Suit
By Ashwin Sharma
Earlier this week, Judge Thompson of federal court for the Middle District of Alabama rejected all claims brought by Jack Palmer against his employer, Infosys. Palmer claimed to have been harassed and retaliated against after making allegations that Infosys’ massive B-1 visa program was used fraudulently in place of more appropriate visas.
By way of background, when these allegations first arose in early 2011, I wrote about the strong likelihood that Infosys may have been engaging in a perfectly legal action under existing U.S. immigration law on B-1 visas. Subsequently, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), apparently motivated by Palmer’s Testimony, addressed a strongly worded but poorly researched memo to Secretary Hillary Clinton in which he demanded a complete review of the B-1 visa. His request was inexplicably granted, and the resultant changes substantially injured the economic interests of U.S. organizations engaged in international trade, countermanded congressional intent on the subject, and escalated denials for B-1 applicants at U.S. Consulates, especially those in the ‘B-1 in lieu of H-1B’ category.
Returning to the court’s decision: It was interesting to note that despite all the recent attention on various states’ interpretation of federal immigration law, Judge Thompson avoided the topic entirely: “Palmer’s brief spends an inordinate amount of time addressing whether Infosys engaged in visa fraud. To be clear, this litigation does not concern whether Infosys violated American immigration law. Rather, Palmer’s suit rises and falls on a simple inquiry: whether he has created a genuine dispute of material fact on his state-law claims.”
Data on Adjustment of Status
I-485 Performance Data
This report contains information on adjustment of status applications. The number of receipts, approvals, denials, and pending cases are displayed by fiscal year and by office.
The reports are available both in comma delimited (csv) and Adobe pdf file formats.
USCIS Regular and Military Naturalization Form N-400 Average Cycle Time (January 2012 – June 2012)
USCIS Regular and Military Naturalization Form N-400 Average Cycle Time (January 2012 – June 2012) ( PDF)
Data as of June 30, 2012
Published August 20, 2012
H-1B Temporary Visa Program – Selected Statistics, FY 2012 YTD (Through June 2012)
VIA THE OFFICE OF FOREIGN LABOR CERTIFICATION
H-1B Temporary Visa Program – Selected Statistics, FY 2012 YTD (.PDF, through June 2012)
Active PERM Applications’ Processing Status as of May 30, 2012
VIA THE OFFICE OF FOREIGN LABOR CERTIFICATION
Permanent Labor Certification Program – Selected Statistics, FY 2012 YTD (.PDF, as of May 30, 2012)
The U.S. Immigration Law Blog by Ashwin Sharma 
Video Answer to “What is an H-4 dependent visa?”