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The enforcement of immigration laws is a complex and hotly-debated topic. Learn more about the costs of immigration enforcement and the ways in which the U.S. can enforce our immigration laws humanely and in a manner that ensures due process.

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Practical Guides and FAQs for the Federal STEM Initiatives

Learn how institutions, employers, or talented researchers and other highly skilled individuals in the STEM fields can take advantage of the Early Career STEM Research Initiative.

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  • Blog

Is It Time to Change the H-1B Visa Cap?

March 31, 2016

On April 1, employers will submit their petitions for H-1B visas for high-skilled temporary workers. The start of the H-1B season, when U.S. employers turn their attention toward hiring foreign...

  • Blog

New Rule Improves Learning Experience for International Students With STEM Degrees

March 21, 2016

This month, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a final rule which will allow international students in certain science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) fields to...

  • Blog

How Welcoming Immigrants Gave Chicago, Dayton, and Nashville a Boost

February 3, 2016

Three geographically diverse cities have created more welcoming environments for immigrants and each has implemented initiatives that promote immigrant entrepreneurship and innovation in their...

  • Blog

Giving the Immigration Facts a Fighting Chance

December 14, 2015

As we move through the 2016 presidential election cycle, the issue of immigration will continue to be a central topic of the debate. The United States is at a tipping point after more than two...

  • Blog

Setting the Record Straight on the Leaked Government Memo on Work Authorization

November 5, 2015

Recently, a leaked memo related to the Department of Homeland Security’s ongoing deliberations about reforming the employment-based immigrant visa system was published online. An “investigative...

  • Blog

The Fortunes of H-1B Workers and Their Native-Born Colleagues Rise and Fall Together

August 3, 2015

There is no denying that the granting of H-1B visas for highly skilled professionals from abroad is a politically charged topic. However, the recurring controversies over H-1Bs should not obscure...

  • Blog

Immigrant Entrepreneurs Launch Over One in Four New Businesses

June 22, 2015
While immigrants make up around 13 percent of the U.S. population, they play an outsize role in entrepreneurship and business formation relative to their overall numbers.
  • Blog

How Immigrant Entrepreneurs Move the U.S. Economy Forward

May 6, 2015

This week, National Small Business Week, which has occurred each year since 1963, recognizes the contributions of entrepreneurs and small business owners in the United States. According to the U.S...

  • Blog

USCIS Implemented New H-1B Wage Level Policy Without Providing Sufficient Guidance to Its Staff

October 1, 2019

Newly released documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) reveal that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) rolled out a major policy change impacting petitions for...

  • Blog

US Visa Policies Prevent Tech Startups From Hiring Foreign Workers

September 17, 2019

Tech startups are engines of innovation, economic growth, and job creation. Yet U.S. visa policies may be preventing startups from hiring the highly skilled foreign professionals they need to...

  • Blog

USCIS Visa Petition Denials on the Rise

August 16, 2019

Legal immigration channels to the United States are continuing to suffer under the Trump administration. These restrictions are having an effect on employment-based immigration—particularly...

  • Blog

Immigrants and Their Children Founded Almost Half of All US Fortune 500 Companies

July 30, 2019

From the highest levels of corporate America to virtually every level of the labor force, immigration creates new jobs in the U.S. economy. The businesses founded by immigrant entrepreneurs...

  • Advocacy

Statement for the House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship Hearing “Policy Changes and Processing Delays at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.”

July 16, 2019
The statement highlights the Council’s concerns regarding systemic U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services delays in responding to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.
  • Litigation

U.S. Employer Challenges USCIS “Not a Specialty Occupation” H-1B Petition Denial That Overlooked Web Developer’s Specialized and Complex Duties

As U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) continues to scrutinize and reject meritorious H-1B petitions, one emerging pattern is its rejection of petitions for entry level positions. We've sued.
  • Litigation

U.S. Employer Challenges USCIS "Not a Specialty Occupation" H-1B Petition Denial of Market Research Analyst Job

In denying the petition, USCIS disregarded substantial evidence that the employer requires a bachelor's or higher degree in a "specific specialty" because of the complexity and specialized nature of the job duties.
  • Blog

30,000 More Seasonal Worker Visas to Become Available After a Bipartisan Push

April 19, 2019

In a welcome immigration-related development, the Trump administration has proposed increasing the annual allotment of H-2B visas for temporary nonagricultural workers. As employers have long...

  • Blog

Why It’s Critical to Take a Closer Look at Foreign-Worker Petitions Data

April 11, 2019

American businesses rely on foreign-born workers in many industries and the country’s immigration system has channels specifically dedicated to employment-based immigration. The Trump...

  • FOIA Litigation

Lawsuit Demands Response to FOIAs Seeking Data About Immigrant and Nonimmigrant Adjudications

With the data sought through the requests, the Council hopes to better understand USCIS’ adjudication of employment-based immigrant and nonimmigrant petitions and how the adjudication process has evolved over multiple years.

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