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BCIS Extends TPS for Somalia, El Salvador (7/24/03)
The Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS) has extended temporary protected status (TPS) for Somalia for an additional 12 months, until September 17, 2004, and the 60-day re-registration period began on July 21, 2003, and will remain in effect until September 19, 2003. Also, the BCIS announced that, effective September 9, 2003, TPS has been extended for El Salvador for 18 months, until March 9, 2005. The 60-day re-registration period for Salvadorans began July 16, 2003, and will remain in effect until September 15, 2003. The BCIS has also extended, until March 9, 2004, the validity of employment authorization documents (EADs) issued pursuant to the Salvadoran TPS program.
BCIS Releases FY 2002 Immigration Stats (7/24/03)
The Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS) recently released its legal immigration statistics for fiscal year (FY) 2002. A total of 1,063,732 persons legally immigrated to the U.S. in FY 2002, the BCIS said, including new arrivals to the U.S. who obtained immigrant visas abroad and persons who were already living in the U.S. and became permanent residents by applying for adjustment of status. Of the total, 384,427 obtained their immigrant visas abroad and 653,259 were granted adjustment of status in the U.S. The major categories of immigrants included immediate relatives of U.S. citizens (486,748), family preference (187,069), employment preference (179,968), refugee/asylee adjustments (126,084), and the diversity visa program (42,829). Sixty-five percent of legal immigrants settled in the following six states: California (291,216), New York (114,827), Florida (90,819), Texas (88,365), New Jersey (57,721), and Illinois (47,235). Five countries accounted for 40 percent of immigrants: Mexico (219,380), India (71,105), the Peoples™ Republic of China (61,282), Philippines (51,308), and Vietnam (33,627).
State Dept. Releases DV 2004 Results (7/24/03)
The State Department has released the following information with respect to the diversity visa (DV) 2004 lottery. The country with the highest number of applicants was Ghana (7,040), followed by Ethiopia (6,353), Poland (5,467), Morocco (5,069), Ukraine (4,494), Albania (3,071), and Russia (2,600).
Information about DV 2005
Available at: www.us-immigration.com/dv_lottery/
DOS Issues Interim Rule Adding Nonimmigrant T Visa Category for Victims of Severe Trafficking (7/3/03)
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) issued an interim rule with request for comments on June 26, 2003, adding a new nonimmigrant "T" visa category pursuant to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA), which grants T nonimmigrant status to certain victims of severe forms of trafficking in persons, and to their immediate relatives in circumstances involving extreme hardship.
BCIS Extends TPS Designation for Montserrat (7/3/03)
The Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS) has extended the designation of Montserrat under the temporary protected status (TPS) program for 12 months, to August 27, 2004. The 60-day reregistration period began on July 1, 2003, and will remain in effect through September 2, 2003.