Agency Updates:

• Certain USCIS field offices and asylum offices resumed non-emergency face-to-face services to the public on June 4, 2020. USCIS has enacted precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in reopened facilities.

• EOIR Operational Status: As previously announced, certain immigration courts have resumed non-detained hearings. Hearings in non-detained cases at courts without an announced date, including New York City immigration courts, are postponed through, and including, January 1, 2021.

• Actualización del Estado Operativo de EOIR: Como se anunció previamente, ciertos tribunales de inmigración han reanudado las audiencias no detenidas. Las audiencias en los casos no detenidos en los tribunales sin una fecha anunciada se posponen hasta el 1 de enero de 2021, incluidos los tribunales de inmigración de la ciudad de Nueva York.

• U.S. Customs and Border Protection Update

Visa Bulletin: December 2020
To view the August 2020 Visa Bulletin from the U.S. Department of State, please click here.

Visa Bulletin: November 2020
To view the August 2020 Visa Bulletin from the U.S. Department of State, please click here.

Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Automatically Extended Through October 4, 2021
On December 8, 2020, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)  automatically extended the validity of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and the validity of TPS-related documentation (including employment authorization cards). The automatic extension remains in effect through October 4, 2021, and applies to those Beneficiaries under the TPS designations of El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Sudan.

As a result, a Beneficiary granted TPS, may show a copy of the Federal Registry Notice, along with his or her specified Employment Authorization Card (EAD), to his or her employer to demonstrate identity and continued TPS-related employment eligibility for purposes of meeting the Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I-9) requirements.

DACA Program Restored and Accepting New Applicants
USCIS is accepting initial applicants for DACA! An additional 300,000 undocumented individuals could qualify. Give our office a call to learn how to apply and if you qualify: 212-233-8100.

USCIS Revised Its Naturalization Civics Test
The U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) revised the civics portion of the naturalization test. Applicants who apply for naturalization on or after December 1, 2020, will take the updated version of the test. According to USCIS, the revised test will not change the passing score, which remains at 60 percent. However, applicants must now answer 12 questions correctly out of 20 in order to pass.

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Estatus de Protección Temporal (TPS) Extendido Automáticamente Hasta el 4 de Octubre de 2021
El 8 de diciembre de 2020, el Departamento de Seguridad Nacional (DHS) extendió automáticamente la validez del Estatus de Protección Temporal (TPS) y la validez de la documentación relacionada con el TPS (incluidas las tarjetas de autorización de empleo). La extensión automática permanecerá vigente hasta el 4 de octubre de 2021 y se aplica a los Beneficiarios bajo las designaciones de TPS de El Salvador, Haití, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua y Sudán.

Como resultado, un Beneficiario al que se le otorgó el TPS, puede mostrar una copia del Aviso de Registro Federal, junto con su Tarjeta de Autorización de Empleo (EAD), a su empleador para demostrar su identidad y la elegibilidad continua de empleo relacionada con el TPS para propósitos de cumplir con los requisitos de Verificación de Elegibilidad de Empleo (Formulario I-9).

El Programa DACA Ha Sido Restaurado y Está Aceptando Nuevos Candidatos
¡USCIS está aceptando solicitantes iniciales para DACA! 300,000 indocumentados adicionales podrían calificar. Llámenos hoy para ver si puede aplicar: 212-233-8100.

USCIS Revisó Su Examen de Educación Cívica de Naturalización
El Servicio de Ciudadanía e Inmigración de los Estados Unidos (USCIS) revisó la parte de cívica del examen de naturalización. Los solicitantes que soliciten la naturalización el 1 de diciembre de 2020 o después, tomarán la versión actualizada del examen. USCIS declara que la prueba revisada no cambiará el puntaje de aprobación, que permanece en el 60 por ciento. Sin embargo, los solicitantes ahora deben responder correctamente 12 preguntas de 20 para aprobar.

Governor Andrew Cuomo’s executive order to “pause” the state’s Statutes of Limitation was not extended and is over at the time of this notice.  This will mean that if you were in an accident exactly three years ago, you may have additional time to file your case due to the pandemic. Be cautioned, it is still under debate whether additional time was added.  There are many people “testing” this to see what will be permitted now that the pause has been lifted.

Options for Incarcerated Defendants
If you have a loved one who is incarcerated, it may be possible to obtain an emergency release from incarceration.  Any incarcerated person who is over 50 years old, or is otherwise vulnerable to COVID-19, may be eligible for release if their case does not involve an allegation of substantial violence and there is no history of violence in the last 10 years. In some cases, an incarcerated Defendant who is not eligible for emergency relief may still be able to be released by having their lawyer negotiate a resolution.  The district attorneys have expanded their criteria for offering non-jail plea deals and are even dismissing cases in certain circumstances.

Criminal Courts
Criminal courts have slowly started to re-open, and are scheduling future court dates for the following matters:

• Conferencing of felony cases;
• Selected plea and sentencing proceedings;
• Arraignments of defendants who have been issued desk appearance tickets; and
• Preliminary hearings in cases involving defendants being held in jail on felony complaints.

You should contact your attorney, or retain new counsel if you are able to do so, to make sure you know when your criminal matter will be heard in court.  If you fail to appear for a court date, A WARRANT FOR YOUR ARREST COULD BE ISSUED.

To schedule a free consultation with a criminal defense attorney, call Gregg A. Pinto, Esq. at (646) 328-2434.

Many individuals who have worked in the restaurant and other service industries have been laid off due to the virus.  Prior to the layoff, though, these individuals may have been working 40 or more hours per week but not being overtime in compliance with the law.  It is also possible that some of these individuals did not receive all of their required tips under the law.  In addition, employers are required to pay a minimum wage to most service employees.  Contact our office for a free consultation to find out if you were not paid in compliance with the law by your former employer.

From all of us at PPID to you, stay safe and healthy.

Resources:

• Assistance for Small Businesses 
• U.S. Small Business Administration
• USCIS Response COVID-19
• World Health Organization

If you need legal guidance, PPID is here to help! Call us toll-free at (800) 223-2814.