LATEST NEWS:

JANUARY VISA BULLETIN:

The DOS has released the Visa Bulletin for January 2008, with more dismal news for India, which is subject to "per-country" limitations. While China and All-World continued to remain unchanged in Second Preference, and marginal advances in Third Preference, India underwent a major retrogression in 2nd Preference for the month of January. In commenting on the retrogression, the State Department said:

It has been necessary to once again retrogress the India Employment Second preference cut-off date. This is a direct result of continued heavy applicant demand for numbers by CIS for adjustment of status cases despite the retrogression which occurred for December. It is likely that the annual limit for this category will be reached within the next few months, at which time the category would become "unavailable" for the remainder of fiscal year 2008.

[12/13/2007]

CONSULAR VISA ISSUANCE FEE:

DOS has advised that the machine-readable visa fee collected by all Consulates upon the issuance of a new visa will be raised, effective 01/01/2008, from $100 to $131, to cover the cost of security-related costs incurred by the Department in this process.

[09/13] Judge Deals Blow to Cuban Custody Case

LAURA WIDES-MUNOZ Associated Press Writer (AP) - MIAMI-A judge on Wednesday dismissed several charges against a Cuban father seeking to regain custody of his young daughter, dealing another blow to the state's case against him.

[09/12] Meatpackers Union Sues Over Plant Raids

OSKAR GARCIA Associated Press Writer (AP) - OMAHA, Neb.-A union representing workers at six Swift & Co. meatpacking plants sued federal immigration authorities Wednesday, alleging agents violated the workers' rights during raids by roughly handling even those not suspected of crimes.

[09/12] 2 arrested as immigration activists storm congressional offices

ERICA WERNER Associated Press Writer (AP) - WASHINGTON-An 8-year-old boy whose mother was deported to Mexico led a chanting crowd of about 150 pro-immigration activists through congressional offices Wednesday. Capitol police arrested two demonstrators for disorderly conduct.

[09/11] Boy Thrust Into Immigration Spotlight

PETER PRENGAMAN Associated Press Writer (AP) - LOS ANGELES-An 8-year-old boy has become a star attraction at pro-immigration events since his mother took refuge in a Chicago church before she was deported to Mexico.

[09/10] Democratic US presidential hopefuls promise change in Iraq, immigration in Spanish debate

NEDRA PICKLER Associated Press Writer (AP) - CORAL GABLES, Florida-Democratic White House candidates embraced Hispanic concerns in the first ever Spanish-language presidential debate, unanimously promising to bring troops home from Iraq and to begin working on immigration in their first year in office.