Haitians in the United States affected by the devastating Jan. 2010 earthquake have until Nov. 15, 2011 to file for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) if they have not done so already. Haitians previously granted TPS that expires on July 22, 2011 must re-file by Aug. 22, 2011. All holders of TPS in the United States should stay informed of expiration of status, filing deadlines and requirements for employment authorization with USCIS online at http://www.uscis.gov/tps or by calling the USCIS National Customer Service Center (NCSC)
at 800-375-5283.

In a July 26 ruling, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services denied an I-130 petition filed by a San Francisco man seeking immigrant benefits for his same-sex spouse. The decision portends future legal battles over same-sex immigration benefits. The Department of Justice under the Obama Administration has decided not to defend the Defense of Marriage Act (“DOMA”), the 1996 law which denies federal benefits to same-sex couples, on equal protection grounds. Read more about the controversial decision.

The revamped EB-2 and EB-5 rules are intended to streamline the path to immigration for foreign investors who provide jobs to American citizens through business investment in the U.S. or who’s work promotes the national interest. Read more about the revamped policies.