21st Century Department of Justice Appropriations Authorization Act

Alert: Preliminary Injunction is Denied–H-4 EAD Program Moves Forward

As previously reported, a group of former employees of Southern California Edison (who claim they were laid off and replaced by H-1B workers) filed a lawsuit in the United States District for the District of Columbia against the administration challenging the H-4 final rule on the grounds that the rule exceeds DHS’s authority and directly contradicts certain provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, as amended, in Save Jobs USA vs. U.S. Dep’t. of Homeland Security, Civil Action No. 1:15-cv-615. Continue reading “Alert: Preliminary Injunction is Denied–H-4 EAD Program Moves Forward”

DHS Asks Court to Dismiss Lawsuit Challenging H-4 Work Authorization

While the lawsuit challenging President Obama’s executive action continues to garner headlines, an additional lawsuit has been filed contesting another part of the executive actions that DHS is attempting to implement. This time the lawsuit is challenging the administration’s authority to give work authorization to the H-4 dependent spouses of certain H-1B nonimmigrants. Currently, H-4 spouses are not authorized to engage in employment unless the spouse has his/her own work visa. Continue reading “DHS Asks Court to Dismiss Lawsuit Challenging H-4 Work Authorization”

Mark Your Calendars: DHS Extends Employment Authorization Eligibility to Certain H-4 Dependent Spouses Effective May 26, 2015

While many immigration practitioners wait anxiously for a resolution to the judicial challenges faced by DAPA and expanded DACA, others let out a sigh of relief at the announcement made today by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director León Rodríguez. Continue reading “Mark Your Calendars: DHS Extends Employment Authorization Eligibility to Certain H-4 Dependent Spouses Effective May 26, 2015”