Latest Developments in
Immigration Law

Automatic Extension of Work Permits for For Hong Kong residents
Hong Kong residents eligible for Deferred Enforced Departure are eligible for an automatic extension of employment authorization for 24 months, until Feb 5, 2025. See official USCIS notification here:
https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/deferred-enforced-departure/ded-covered-country-certain-hong-kong-residents
If you have any question, call USCIS 1-800-375-5283 or schedule an appointment at www.jwulaw.com to confer with Attorney Jon Wu. He has been actively engaged in law practice since 1973!!

WORK PERMIT EXTENSIONS
540 Days Automatic Extension of work permit (EAD). Here is an excerpt from the USCIS website:
Effective May 4, 2022, DHS is temporarily increasing the extension period and providing up to 360 days of additional automatic extension time, for a total of up to 540 days, to eligible renewal applicants. The automatic extension time is counted from the expiration date of the employment authorization and/or EAD. (more…)

Relief for Afghan Nationals: Humanitarian Parole
Overview
Humanitarian parole authorizes an individual to temporarily enter the United States when there is an urgent humanitarian reason or significant public benefit. See INA section 212(d)(5)). Parole requests are discretionary and reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Anyone may request parole for himself or herself, or on behalf of another individual.

ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS FOR PEOPLE WITH APPROVED TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS
The Supreme Court has recently ruled that someone who entered the United States illegally but then received temporary status may not consider themselves “admitted,” and so may not be able to adjust their status to become a lawful permanent resident.
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What is Adjustment of Status?
Adjustment of status allows people who currently have a non-immigrant status in the United States (such as a student or a worker’s visa) to apply to become a lawful permanent resident of the United States without leaving the US. In order to eventually become a citizen of the United States, you must first become a lawful permanent resident.

Pending Visa Cases
During the Covid-19 pandemic, many of the United States’ embassies and consulates have temporarily halted or restricted their services. These restrictions have seriously delayed the processing for pending visa applications.
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Asylum and Refugee Eligibility For Hong Kong Protestors
In the wake of the Hong Kong protests, some of the activists have sought asylum in the United States. Some politicians in the United States have sought to pass the Hong Kong Safe Harbor Act to make it easier for these activists to receive asylum.
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Health Care Requirement for Potential Immigrants
Is There a New Rule About Immigrant Health Insurance?
On October 4, 2019, President Trump issued a proclamation requiring people applying for an immigrant visa to demonstrate that they will have health care within 30 days of their arrival in the United States or that they have the funds necessary to pay medical expenses.