Headlines:

Mayorkas Impeachment Try Fails, However Republicans Could Strive Once more After Killing Proposed Bipartisan Invoice to Deal with Border Points – On February 6, 2024, Republicans within the Home of Representatives tried however did not impeach Secretary of Homeland Safety Alejandro Mayorkas. In the identical week because the impeachment vote, Senate Republicans killed a border safety invoice.

USCIS Releases FY 2023 Information and Highlights of FY 2024 Plans – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Providers launched end-of-fiscal-year 2023 information and highlights of its plans for FY 2024.

EOIR to Transition to DOJ Login – The Govt Workplace for Immigration Evaluation is implementing a phased migration to DOJ Login that it expects to finish this spring. EOIR will notify customers by e mail when it’s time for them to activate their new DOJ Login ID.

Particulars:

Mayorkas Impeachment Try Fails, However Republicans Could Strive Once more After Killing Proposed Bipartisan Invoice to Deal with Border Points

On February 6, 2024, Republicans within the Home of Representatives tried however did not impeach Secretary of Homeland Safety Alejandro Mayorkas. The ultimate vote was 214-216. Republicans accused Mr. Mayorkas of failing to keep up operational management of the border, amongst different issues.

Regardless of the impeachment defeat, some Republicans stated they’d work on revisiting that effort, together with Rep. Mark Inexperienced (R-TN), chair of the Homeland Safety Committee, and a spokesperson for Home Speaker Mike Johnson, who stated they’d rethink impeachment “when now we have the votes for passage.”

The Division of Homeland Safety beforehand stated in a press release that Republicans “don’t wish to repair the issue; they wish to marketing campaign on it. That’s why they’ve undermined efforts to realize bipartisan options and ignored the details, authorized students and consultants, and even the Structure itself of their quest to baselessly impeach Secretary Mayorkas.” In the identical week because the impeachment vote, Senate Republicans killed a border safety invoice that had been within the works for months and was touted as a bipartisan manner ahead.

Just one cupboard member has ever been impeached in U.S. historical past. Secretary of Struggle William Belknap was impeached in 1876 for corruption. A bunch of 25 constitutional regulation consultants issued a letter to Rep. Inexperienced in January objecting to the impeachment efforts in opposition to Mr. Mayorkas as “completely unjustified as a matter of constitutional regulation.” They stated, “If allegations like this had been adequate to justify impeachment, the separation of powers could be completely destabilized.”

Particulars:

• Home Vote to Impeach Homeland Safety Secretary Mayorkas Fails, Thwarted by Republican Defections, Related Press (Feb. 7, 2024).
• Home GOP Releases Impeachment Articles in Bid to Oust Homeland Safety’s Mayorkas Over the Border, Related Press (Jan. 28, 2024).
• Articles of impeachment and associated press releases.
• Senate Republicans Knife Bipartisan Border Safety Invoice, Declaring It Lifeless, NBC Information (Feb. 6, 2024).
• Constitutional Legislation Consultants on the Impeachment Proceedings Towards Secretary of Homeland Safety Alejandro Mayorkas (Jan. 10, 2024).
• Mayorkas Impeachment Effort is Nothing Just like the Solely Different Cupboard Impeachment From 1876, CNN (Feb. 6, 2024).

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USCIS Releases FY 2023 Information and Highlights of FY 2024 Plans

On February 9, 2024, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Providers (USCIS) launched end-of-fiscal-year (FY) 2023 information. Under are chosen highlights of the information and USCIS’s plans for FY 2024:

FY 2023 Backlog Reductions

• USCIS obtained 10.9 million filings and accomplished greater than 10 million pending instances, each of which it known as “record-breaking numbers.” In doing so, USCIS stated it lowered total backlogs by 15%, together with “successfully eliminating the backlog of naturalization purposes.” The median processing time for naturalization candidates additionally decreased from 10.5 months to six.1 months by the tip of the fiscal yr.

FY 2023 Actions Affecting Employees and Employers

• USCIS and the Division of State issued greater than 192,000 employment-based immigrant visas and, for the second yr working, ensured that no accessible visas went unused, USCIS stated. The company elevated the utmost validity interval of Employment Authorization Paperwork (EADs) to 5 years for adjustment of standing candidates. USCIS stated it clarified eligibility for a spread of immigration providers, together with the Worldwide Entrepreneur Rule, the EB-1 immigrant visa for people of extraordinary potential and excellent professors and researchers, and the waiver of the two-year international residence requirement for J-1 cultural and academic change guests (together with international medical graduates). The company additionally proposed a brand new rule “to strengthen employee protections and the integrity of the H-2 non permanent employee program.”
• USCIS eliminated the biometrics charge and appointment requirement for candidates for a change or extension of nonimmigrant standing and up to date the company’s interpretation of the Youngster Standing Safety Act to stop many youngster beneficiaries of noncitizen employees from “growing older out” of kid standing, permitting them to hunt everlasting residence together with their dad and mom.

FY 2024 Plans

In FY 2024, USCIS plans to:

• Work to keep up median processing instances of 30 days for sure EAD purposes filed by people who entered the USA after scheduling an appointment by means of the CBP One cellular software or the CHNV processes.

• Proceed to replace coverage steering for the EB-5 investor visa program, incorporating statutory reforms to the Regional Heart Program as they relate to regional heart designation and different necessities for immigrant traders.
• Proceed to replace coverage steering for pupil classifications, together with eligibility for employment authorization, change of standing, extension of keep, and reinstatement of standing for F and M college students and their dependents in the USA.
• Finalize a brand new rule on the H-1B program for specialty occupation employees.
• Suggest a brand new rule on the adjustment of standing course of, together with laws clarifying the age calculation beneath the Youngster Standing Safety Act and offering employment authorization for sure by-product beneficiaries awaiting immigrant visa availability once they current compelling circumstances.

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EOIR to Transition to DOJ Login

On February 9, 2024, the Division of Justice (DOJ)’s Govt Workplace for Immigration Evaluation (EOIR) introduced new procedures for accessing the EOIR Courts & Appeals System (ECAS) Case Portal. EOIR is transitioning to “DOJ Login,” a cloud-based identification administration and authentication service. To facilitate this variation, customers should verify or right their main e mail tackle, which can function their DOJ Login ID.

All at present registered practitioners shall be migrated to DOJ Login ID to entry ECAS Case Portal, EOIR stated. EOIR is implementing a phased migration that it expects to finish this spring. EOIR stated it has developed detailed directions for this phased transition and can notify customers by e mail when it’s time for them to activate their new DOJ Login ID.

Those that have questions or want help can e mail buyer help at ECAS.techsupport@usdoj.gov or name 1-877-388-3842.

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