On July 19th, Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, made her first appearance before Congress since the June 15 memorandum on deferred action policies for qualified DREAMers. (Please see Stern & Curray LLC blog post of Wednesday, June 2012 for more information on the specifics of the program). In her testimony before the House Judiciary Committee Napolitano explained that the department hopes to finalize guidelines for the process by August 1st and stated that DHS officially will begin accepting deferred action applications from undocumented youth on August 15th. A fee charged for the deferred action application would ensure the process does not pose an extra burden on taxpayers, Napolitano said. However, the amount of the fee is still unknown. Also unknown is what form an applicant for deferred action will be required to use. For Secretary Nepolitano’s full testimony, please visit http://judiciary.house.gov/hearings/Hearings%202012/Napolitano%2007192012.pdf
Immigrants Create Jobs
A number of studies show that overall immigrants greatly benefit the U.S. economy by starting businesses and creating jobs. Some key findings:
• Immigrants are entrepreneurial, being 30% more likely to start businesses than non-immigrants
• Although immigrants comprise 13% of the overall population, they own 18% of all small businesses
• 28% of new businesses started in 2011 were started by immigrants
• 18% of the Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants; another 22% were founded by children of immigrants
• Businesses owned by immigrants employed almost 5 million people and contributed over $776 billion to the economy in 2007
• Public companies started by immigrants include Google, Yahoo, eBay, Intel, Carnival Cruise Lines, DuPont, Nvidia, Pfizer, Proctor & Gamble and US Steel
Sources: Fiscal Policy Institute, Small Business Administration, SmartMoney, Forbes, Washington Post, CNN Money
Immigrants Create Jobs
A number of studies show that overall immigrants greatly benefit the U.S. economy by starting businesses and creating jobs. Some key findings:
- Immigrants are entrepreneurial, being 30% more likely to start businesses than non-immigrants
- Although immigrants comprise 13% of the overall population, they own 18% of all small businesses
- 28% of new businesses started in 2011 were started by immigrants
- 18% of the Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants; another 22% were founded by children of immigrants
- Businesses owned by immigrants employed almost 5 million people and contributed over $776 billion to the economy in 2007
- Public companies started by immigrants include Google, Yahoo, eBay, Intel, Carnival Cruise Lines, DuPont, Nvidia, Pfizer, Proctor & Gamble and US Steel
Sources: Fiscal Policy Institute, Small Business Administration, SmartMoney, Forbes, Washington Post, CNN Money
State Department Advises on Visa Number Progression
The U.S. State Department has recently indicated that it expects the EB-2 worldwide category to become current on October 1, 2012. Therefore, EB-2 applicants who were not born in India or China should be current on October 1, 2012.
The State Department also indicated that it expected EB-2 numbers for people born in India or China to become available with a priority date of approximately August or September of 2007 and they do not expect much forward movement in these categories for the first half of the fiscal year.
Hopefully, some day there will be a legislative fix for visa backlogs for EB-2 applicants born in India or China and all EB-3 applicants.
State Department Advises on Visa Number Progression
The U.S. State Department has recently indicated that it expects the EB-2 worldwide category to become current on October 1, 2012. Therefore, EB-2 applicants who were not born in India or China should be current on October 1, 2012.
The State Department also indicated that it expected EB-2 numbers for people born in India or China to become available with a priority date of approximately August or September of 2007 and they do not expect much forward movement in these categories for the first half of the fiscal year.
Hopefully, some day there will be a legislative fix for visa backlogs for EB-2 applicants born in India or China and all EB-3 applicants.