How Good Was The Year 2011 For US Immigration? Article - News And Life Style Politics Articles

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How good was the year 2011 for US immigration?

The year 2011 saw a good number of changes in the US immigration policies which in turn affected the USCIS.

Author: Jessicapotter

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The year 2011 has been one of many ups and downs for the US immigration. There were many notable changes that were brought about during the year 2011 and many were hot topics for debates all over the world. USCIS is the prime authority that caters to the immigration needs of the people. It has also witnessed remarkable changes over the past year in the way of new policy changes and increased facilities for applicants.

New US immigration acts/laws and policies

Help Haiti Act of 2010

This was successfully implemented in the beginning of the year 2011 by the USCIS to help the nationals who were affected by the natural disaster. As per the newly enacted law, USCIS was conferred with the authority to grant the status of permanent residence to certain categories of orphaned children who were paroled into the US.

Protection for Victims of Human trafficking

This allowed non-immigrant visa holders, who became victims of human trafficking, in the category of A-3 and G-5 visas to retain their status and work legally in the US. This was really helpful as the battered victims could continue to work even as their cases against their employers were still pending.

Some other changes are

• Termination of granting parole to Lautenberg category members who are denied refugee status in Moscow.

• Introduction of a secure, customer friendly online- account system by the DHS to encourage customers to submit benefit requests (that were filed with the USCIS) electronically and to simplify the process of applying for US immigration benefits.

• Implemented out a rule for transitional workers in the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands ( CNMI) – employers in the CNMI can thereby hire non-immigrants who are otherwise not eligible to be employed

Changes in US immigration Forms

Single card for both employment and travel authorization – Form I-485

Certain category of applicants who are filing in to adjust status or become permanent residents will be issued with a single card that will resemble an EAD but have an additional text – ‘serves as I-512 Advance Parole’

Centralized filing of Form I-130

From August, all the applicants who are submitting this form were requested to do so only at the USCIS lockbox facility at Chicago. This was brought about to increase the efficiency of the filing process and flexibility of the USCIS to manage its workload.

Other changes were

• Improved processing of us citizenship forms - filing to be done at secure lockbox facilities instead of local offices. A transition period was allowed for the convenience of the applicants which ended on Dec 2, 2011.

• Processing of citizenship application, N-400 (naturalization form) of certain SSI recipients was prioritized

• Changed the filing locations for I-130 to either Chicago or phoenix Lockbox facility.

• Final rule that is aimed at improving the integrity of the employment eligibility verification form – Form I-9 process.

Extensions of existing privileges

• Reminder to the Japan nationals affected by the tsunami to avail the US immigration benefits

• Reminder for applicants who are seeking funding under the Citizenship and Integration Grants Program of the deadline ( April 1)

• Extension of Temporary Protected Status for Haitians, Sudan nationals, Hondurans and Nicaraguans.

• Deferred Departure for the Liberians

Apart from the above mentioned, yet other changes in the US immigration system was the addition of certain countries to the eligible list for H-2A and H-2B programs, reaching the H-1B cap for 2011 and closing of its Vietnam office. Hope the ensuing year (i.e) the year 2012 is favorable for the US immigration and the people.

About Author

http://www.uscitizenship.info

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How good was the year 2011 for US immigration?