This is a very good article in The Washington Post about the problems facing 1000s of H-1B workers who have been laid off recently.  Layoffs are difficult for everyone, but for H-1B workers, they can be catastrophic and result in "brain drain" leaving the U.S. to return to foreign countries.  Many of these H-1B workers have received their Bachelor's and Master's degrees in the U.S. and have worked here for over 10 years, have Green Card Applications pending (some for more than 10 years), and have U.S. citizen children.  It makes no fiscal sense to force these well-educated, tax-paying workers to leave our country.  We need better options for H-1B workers who are laid off.  Sixty (60) days is not enough time.  
www.yahoo.com/finance/news/high-skilled-visa-holders-risk-131231991.html​

On February 9, 2023, the Department of State announced in an article in Bloomberglaw.com that it would  be launching a pilot program later in 2023 offering some foreign nationals the ability to renew specific H and L visas in the U.S., rather than at a U.S. Embassy abroad.  Stateside Visa Revalidation is not new- it used to be in effect until 2004 when it was discontinued.  More details will be forthcoming, but regardless, this is exciting news!  LOJLS will continue to monitor and provide updates on these exciting changes.  
​news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/state-department-plans-pilot-for-domestic-visa-renewal-this-year

It was a wild and crazy 2020!  The Law Office of Julia L. Stommes briefly merged with the San Francisco office of Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP.  It was a wonderful experience, but it was not a long-term fit.  Accordingly, as of May 1, 2021, the Law Office of Julia L. Stommes has reopened!  Our Legal Assistant, Ms. Linda Harrell, also has rejoined our office.  We look forward to continuing to provide specialized, attentive boutique immigration service to our clients and also to providing Consultations and Second Opinions to foreign nationals who might be considering a career move; or foreign students planning for their future after graduation; or US Citizens engaged or married to foreign nationals and planning their day-to-day short term events and/or moves abroad.  

We are excited to announce that we have joined our business immigration practice with the world's largest immigration law firm:  Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP!   

www.fragomen.com/about/news/julia-l-stommes-joins-fragomens-northern-california-practice

On September 18, 2019, the October Visa Bulletin was finally released.  Many categories became current again, but the biggest news is that the USCIS has agreed to accept employment-based Adjustment of Status filings with Filing Eligible Dates rather than just Final Action Dates in October.  This is exciting news, as it is an extremely rare occurrence.  www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo

This article describes how the current Administration is chipping away at LEGAL immigration behind the scenes.  www.yahoo.com/finance/news/worker-visas-doubt-trump-immigration-150219937.html

The USCIS published proposed Public Charge regulations that would affect nonimmigrant and immigrant workers.  In addition, the USCIS also hopes to roll out new proposed changes to the H-1B, H-4 Spousal Work Permit and EB5 visa programs.   The plans for the H-1B program could include:  a proposal to create a pre-registration program for employers; a new definition of "specialty occupation"; a continued demotion of computer programmers as "specialty occupations"; and requiring staffing companies to provide full itineraries.  The H-4 Spousal Work Permit program changes would involve phasing out the program.  The EB5 changes would increase the investment threshold and focus more on rural areas.   For more information on the possible changes, please refer to the following article:  
​www.bna.com/workplace-immigration-rules-n73014482760/

We are starting to see Green Card processing times lasting up to 3 years.   The Naturalization backlog has doubled since the Trump Administration took over.  As noted deep in the article below:  

​“The proof is in the pudding,” he said. “There are a lot of changes in how applications are being accepted processed and decided, and there’s been no change in the law.”
USCIS was built to roll out legal residency and citizenship for those who qualify and distribute the benefits that come with each, but Meyer said it’s just not happening.
“There’s an intent behind that, and the intent is to delay and slow down and frustrate and complicate the existing immigration process,” he said. “It’s been under the Trump administration that those processes have, in many ways, ground to a halt, and that hasn’t been due to a change in law. That’s been due to a change in agency implementation.”

denverite.com/2018/08/29/denver-families-face-separation-as-legal-immigration-processes-grind-to-a-halt/