E-1 and E-2 Visas Available for New Zealand Nationals
On August 1, 2018 President Trump signed The KIWI Act, which is now designated as Public Law 115-226 (132 STAT. 1625). This effectively makes New Zealand nationals eligible to enter the U.S. under E-1 and E-2 nonimmigrant traders and investors status.
Filing DACA Applications in the Wake of Federal Court Rulings
On August 3, 2018, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued an order reaffirming its April 24, 2018 ruling that the government’s decision to rescind DACA was unlawful and requiring the government to fully restore the DACA program. The court’s order is on hold for 20 days, until August 23, 2018, to allow the government time to determine whether it intends to appeal the court’s decision and, if so, to seek a stay pending appeal.
Note that there are no new changes to the DACA program at this time. It is still being implemented on the terms of the prior court rulings discussed below . USCIS is still accepting and processing DACA renewal applications for eligible DACA recipients who have previously been approved for DACA, due to two nationwide injunctions issued in California and New York earlier this year. No new or initial applications are being accepted for individuals seeking to apply for DACA for the first time. In light of pending litigation, eligible DACA recipients who would like to renew their DACA, and who should renew given the circumstances in their case, are encouraged to consult with an attorney and submit their DACA renewal applications to USCIS as soon as possible.
Previously, on April 24, 2018, the court held that the government’s decision to rescind DACA was unlawful and vacated the termination of the DACA program, requiring the government to accept and process both new and renewal DACA applications. The court stayed its order of vacatur for 90 days to allow the government the opportunity to “better explain its view that DACA is unlawful.”
In response to the court’s April 24, 2018 order, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen issued a new memorandum on June 22, 2018, concurring with and declining to disturb the government’s September 5, 2017 memorandum that rescinded the DACA
The court’s August 3, 2018 order denied the government’s motion to reconsider its April 24, 2018 order and upheld the vacatur of DACA’s rescission; however, the order does not take effect for 20 days. Thus, the memorandum terminating DACA will be vacated on August 23, 2018, unless the federal government appeals the decision and/or obtains a stay of the court’s August 3, 2018, order, pending appeal . If the court’s order goes into effect on August 23, the original DACA program will be restored in full and the administration will be required to accept not only DACA renewals, but also new DACA applications as well.
Please reach out to your Greenspoon Marder LLP Immigration & Naturalization Practice Group attorney for any further questions or concerns.
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