Newsletters

Immigrants - Farmworkers - Replenishment Agricultural Workers-Benefits

The replenishment agricultural worker (RAW) legalization program, established by the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA), was designed to provide immigration benefits to farm workers who entered the country after a shortage of agricultural workers was deemed to have occurred. During the four-year span of the program, a shortage did not occur. However, had workers been needed, they would have received favorable immigration treatment. For example, not only would they have received temporary U.S. residency followed by permanent residency, the terms of their employment and stays in the U.S. would have been quite broad.

Nonimmigrants - Visa Types - Business or Pleasure Visitors - Who From Canada And Mexico Needs A Visa?

Generally speaking, travelers visiting the United States temporarily must obtain visas unless they are citizens of countries that participate in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) and are eligible to participate in that program. Travelers under the VWP must not plan to stay in the U.S. for more than 90 days, must be traveling for business or pleasure, and must meet certain basic criteria.

Employment-Based Visas - Labor Certification - Procedure before Board of Alien Labor Certification Appeals

An employer who wishes to hire alien labor to fill a position must obtain a labor certification. A labor certification ensures that the employment of aliens will not adversely affect the United States labor market and that sufficient U.S. workers are not available to fill the position the employer is offering.

Immigrants - Diversity Visa Program

Every year, the United States Department of State (DOS) holds a lottery in which random selection is used to provide immigrant visas to people who are natives of certain countries or whose parent was born in one of those countries. Immigrants selected in the diversity lottery are given the opportunity to apply for permanent residence in the U.S.

Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994

Title VIII of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (VCCLEA) impacted United States immigration law in many ways. VCCLEA's provisions increased penalties for immigration-related crimes such as alien smuggling and failure to depart or illegal re-entry following removal from the United States.