Dear Readers:
The President’s announced executive actions from last November are continuing to dominate the immigration law conversation. The headliner program – Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) – still remains on hold until the courts resolve whether the President has the power to implement it. Texas District Court Judge Andrew Hanen issued an injunction barring the President from implementing the program. A 5th Circuit panel of judges heard an appeal regarding staying the injunction and we’re awaiting a ruling. In the meantime, oral arguments are scheduled to be heard in July. So we ought to have an actual decision within a month or two of that. I’m still betting on the President, though many think this one will go to the Supreme Court.
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Last month we were in the middle of getting our H-1B cap cases ready to go. If H-1B filings are a good leading indicator of where hiring is going to be in later 2015, then there’s reason to be bullish. 230,000+ applications were received for 85,000 H-1B slots, far more than any prior year. The total is, in fact, about 30% more than last year. Whether Congress will wake up and deal with this crisis is an open question. The President’s executive action ideas will help, but this can only really be solved through legislation.
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In April, several Siskind Susser lawyers attended the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s National Day of Action which involved visiting congressional offices to talk about the need for immigration reform. There’s a lot of pessimism on the Hill these days, but I’m an optimist and hope that responsible people in both parties will put the needs of the country ahead of partisan bickering and move forward – even in baby steps – with improving our immigration system.
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Siskind Susser got an interesting honor this week. Four of our lawyers were named to Who’s Who in Corporate Immigration Law’s annual list of the world’s top immigration lawyers. Who’s Who Legal is a strategic research partner with the American Bar Association’s Section on International Law, I was listed again this year as one of the top 10 lawyers in North America and my colleagues Ari Sauer, Lynn Susser and Elissa Taub were included as well. A link to the list can be found at http://whoswholegal.com/news/analysis/article/32282/legal-marketplace-analysis/.
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Readers are reminded that Siskind Susser welcomes new clients and if they would like to talk with one of our attorneys, visit our web site at www.visalaw.com. You can contact the attorney of your choice by visiting their individual biography pages, fill out our consultation request form at the web site or call the phone number on the site to set up an appointment.
Regards,
Greg Siskind
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