Recently, the United States passed China and Italy to become the nation with the largest number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the world.
As immigration lawyers, we are working from home, communicating with our clients, both employers and immigrants, by telephone and Skype.
The situation is totally unprecedented, and we are receiving hundreds of questions about how to cope with the pandemic. In mid-March, we established a webpage to keep employers and immigrants updated regarding changes in government policies and procedures in response to COVID-19.
Most in-person interviews at the USCIS have been postponed. US Embassies and Consulates abroad will only issue visas under emergency circumstances. The Immigration Courts are cancelling removal hearings for non-detained cases. ICE is cutting back on enforcement in order not to deter undocumented immigrants from receiving proper medical care. Lawful immigrants who have been recently laid off are concerned about how receiving unemployment benefits will impact their immigration status.
Employers are also experiencing day-by-day changes in immigration policies and procedures. Many employers are designating relatives and friends of employees working remotely to examine documents required in completing I-9 forms. The Labor Department (DOL) is loosening some requirements for employers using E-Verify. Through June 30, DOL will send approved permanent labor certifications to employers by e-mail.
We are all in this together. We appreciate the ongoing efforts of our government to stem the spread of this pandemic. We will continue to assist our hospital clients in obtaining green cards and temporary working visas for physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals who will join existing healthcare providers in saving countless American lives.
On our Coronavirus – Immigration Updates page, we link to numerous recently created government webpages which provide a wealth of information regarding what each agency is doing in response to the pandemic. We also link to Presidential Proclamations regarding the virus, news articles and other helpful materials.
It is our mission to provide you with the information you need to cope with this crisis.
