DHS reported yesterday that it made almost four times the number of worksite arrests and conducted more than double the number of investigations within the first six months of FY2018 than it did for all of FY2017. Worksite enforcement reports show that the agency carried out 3,510 worksite investigations, 2,282 audits, 594 criminal arrests and 610 administrative arrests -- significantly more than annual totals for the year before.
USCIS and DOJ announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) last week that formalizes their joint effort to identify, investigate, and eliminate employer fraud and abuse, and to prosecute employers who discriminate against Americans by favoring foreign workers. The memorandum will improve methods of sharing information and collaboration between the agencies and implement better ways for them to training each other's investigators.
Last week U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services changed how it calculates unlawful presence for students and exchange visitors in F, J, and M nonimmigrant status who overstay a visa. Under a new memorandum, they will begin to accumulate "unlawful presence" days starting on the date their F, J, or M immigrant status expires. Under the old policy, they started accruing unlawful presence on the day USCIS discovered the violation.
Nearly 1.5 million foreign graduates of U.S. universities received work permits through the Optional Training Program (OPT) between 2004 and 2016, according to Pew Research. OPT allows foreign students who graduate, particularly those with degrees in science, technology, engineering, and/or mathematics, to stay and work in the United States for up to 36 months after graduation and compete with American workers.
A group of Disney tech workers have dropped their lawsuit against the company after a years-long effort to hold the company accountable for replacing them with foreign workers and forcing them to train them. The workers' attorney, Sara Blackwell, said it was difficult to challenge Disney for using a lawful program to replace the American workers.
The Santa Clarita City Council voted this week to join the Trump Administration's effort to overturn California laws that block or interfere with federal immigration enforcement. In addition to supporting the Administration's lawsuit, the council publicly condemned California's sanctuary policy, in a 5-0 vote against SB54.
House Speaker Paul Ryan spoke against Rep. Carlos Curbelo's (R-Fla.) decision to file a Discharge Petition for Rep. Jeff Denham's (R-Calif.) resolution (H.Res. 774), which could force a vote in the House on DACA amnesty legislation. Though he would prefer to vote on DACA "before midterms," Ryan said that there's no use in forcing a floor vote on amnesty legislation that Pres. Trump will most likely veto.
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) are resisting Rep. Carlos Curbelo's (R-Fla.) decision to file a Discharge Petition for Rep. Jeff Denham's (R-Calif.) resolution (H.Res. 774) yesterday, which could force a vote in the House on DACA amnesty legislation.
The Trump Administration announced today that the government will not renew Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for the country of Honduras, giving Hondurans until January 5, 2020 to make arrangements to leave the U.S. and return to their home country.