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| THE FIRM PROVIDES THE FOLLOWING SERVICES: ♦ NON-IMMIGRANT VISAS - EMPLOYMENT-BASED ♦ IMMIGRANT VISAS OR PERMANENT RESIDENCE (GREEN CARD) EMPLOYMENT/INVESTOR AND FAMILY-BASED ♦ OTHER AREAS: Immigration Appeals, Adjustment of Status Interview, National Interest Waiver, Naturalization & Citizenship, PERM Labor Certification, U Visa, Religious Workers, Political Asylum, and, more. ♦ INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY/PATENT, TRADEMARK, COPYRIGHT, and more. CLICK HERE TO SEE LIST OF SERVICES THE FIRM PROVIDES. |
| To schedule a consultation, call Tel. (281) 340-2027 or (281) 980-1385. |
| Immigration & Intellectual Property Law Digest is published quarterly by the Law News and Research Group of German Castillo Law Office, P.C. To request a FREE copy, please e-mail LawDigest@gcastillolaw.com or click on here to complete the subscription form. |
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
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Comprehensive Immigration Reform
Still Far From Implementation
Ranking congressional members early this year promised to make
comprehensive immigration reform a reality. Indeed, two bills have garnered
attention. The first one was introduced by Senators Democrat Edward
Kennedy of Massachusetts and Republican John McCain of Arizona and for
the moment is only known as Senate Bill 9. A second immigration reform bill
was introduced this year by Democrat Luis Gutierrez of Illinois and
Republican Jeff Flake of Arizona and is known as STRIVE (Security Through
Regularized Immigration and Vibrant Economy Act of 2007). However, some
political analysts believe that the early presidential nomination dialogue has
been pushing the issue to the far right again, making a bipartisan consensus
difficult to achieve. The national focus on war issues has not helped the
situation either. Worse still, for those waiting on the reforms, the language of
STRIVE makes it clear that, even if approved, it will be one to three years
before key benefits will be available under that bill.
STRIVE would require that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) first
make certain certifications regarding a new electronic employment verification
system, the testing of new systems to improve immigrant document security;
and border surveillance technology improvements. And, it is estimated this
certification process could take one to three years. Only afterwards, would
STRIVE make legalization and new worker programs available.
The details of Senate Bill 9 are not known but it is widely anticipated to use
the same framework of S2611 which was the comprehensive immigration
reform bill that did not make it last year.
The positive side to either bill is that the proponents seek to provide
comprehensive reforms, including the increase of H-1B caps (to 115,000
under STRIVE), the increase of employment-based immigrant visa cap (from
140,000 to 290,000 under STRIVE), the freeing-up of family-based immigrant
visa numbers by redefining classes of relatives that are charged to the family
visa caps (e.g., STRIVE would no longer charge “immediate relatives” to the
family cap of 480,000 and thereby free up hundreds of thousands to the rest
of the family-based applicants), and even implementation of the long awaited
DREAM act, which provides a path to legal permanent residency for certain
undocumented students who have been educated in the US.
In summary, comprehensive immigration reform will benefit, among others,
those with immigration status problems, those waiting on employment or
family based immigrant visas, and those who missed out on the H-1B quota in
April 2007. Such reform is a real possibility, albeit not in the immediate future.
Still Far From Implementation
Ranking congressional members early this year promised to make
comprehensive immigration reform a reality. Indeed, two bills have garnered
attention. The first one was introduced by Senators Democrat Edward
Kennedy of Massachusetts and Republican John McCain of Arizona and for
the moment is only known as Senate Bill 9. A second immigration reform bill
was introduced this year by Democrat Luis Gutierrez of Illinois and
Republican Jeff Flake of Arizona and is known as STRIVE (Security Through
Regularized Immigration and Vibrant Economy Act of 2007). However, some
political analysts believe that the early presidential nomination dialogue has
been pushing the issue to the far right again, making a bipartisan consensus
difficult to achieve. The national focus on war issues has not helped the
situation either. Worse still, for those waiting on the reforms, the language of
STRIVE makes it clear that, even if approved, it will be one to three years
before key benefits will be available under that bill.
STRIVE would require that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) first
make certain certifications regarding a new electronic employment verification
system, the testing of new systems to improve immigrant document security;
and border surveillance technology improvements. And, it is estimated this
certification process could take one to three years. Only afterwards, would
STRIVE make legalization and new worker programs available.
The details of Senate Bill 9 are not known but it is widely anticipated to use
the same framework of S2611 which was the comprehensive immigration
reform bill that did not make it last year.
The positive side to either bill is that the proponents seek to provide
comprehensive reforms, including the increase of H-1B caps (to 115,000
under STRIVE), the increase of employment-based immigrant visa cap (from
140,000 to 290,000 under STRIVE), the freeing-up of family-based immigrant
visa numbers by redefining classes of relatives that are charged to the family
visa caps (e.g., STRIVE would no longer charge “immediate relatives” to the
family cap of 480,000 and thereby free up hundreds of thousands to the rest
of the family-based applicants), and even implementation of the long awaited
DREAM act, which provides a path to legal permanent residency for certain
undocumented students who have been educated in the US.
In summary, comprehensive immigration reform will benefit, among others,
those with immigration status problems, those waiting on employment or
family based immigrant visas, and those who missed out on the H-1B quota in
April 2007. Such reform is a real possibility, albeit not in the immediate future.
| German Castillo Law Office, P.C. 14090 Southwest Freeway, Suite 300, Sugar Land, TX 77478 Tel (281) 340-2027; (281) 980-1385; Toll Free Fax 1 (866) 416-0059; California: Tel (650) 270-5239 INTERNATIONAL OFFICE: PHILIPPINES: 6/F Padilla Building, Emerald Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City, Philippines Tel (63-918) 906-8142 Fax (63-2) 631-1546 |
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GERMAN CASTILLO LAW OFFICE, P.C.
| Immigration Law and Intellectual Property |
| A P r o f e s s i o n a l C o r p o r a t i o n |
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WRITTEN BY ATTY.
CASTILLO
WRITTEN BY ATTY.
CASTILLO