The Economic Effects of COVID-19 on Businesses

The Economic Effects of COVID-19 on Businesses
Aug27

Written by Taher Kameli According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, there are 5,176,018 reported cases of  COVID-19 in the United States alone as of August 13, 2020. As a result, the lives of caretakers, family, and employers of the affected individuals have also been changed. The unemployment rate in the United States is estimated to be at 13 percent and counting, and Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation ended on July 25, 2020. This is the highest unemployment rate Americans face since the Great Depression. People and businesses have taken drastic measures to keep afloat. Several new laws

August 27, 2020
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EPA Approves 1-Bromopropane For Use in the Workplace

EPA Approves 1-Bromopropane For Use in the Workplace
Aug24

Written by Taher Kameli & Chathan Vemuri The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted a final risk evaluation on the substance 1-Bromopropane (1-BP), as per the Toxic Substances Control Act.[1] It sought to inquire about the safety of 1-BP for general use and the environment.[2]  On August 11, 2020, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released this report.[3] Although it found that 16 out of 25 conditions of use presented an unreasonable risk to workers, occupational non-users, consumers and bystanders, the EPA still found that none of these conditions made 1-BP pose any unreasonable environmental

August 24, 2020
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President Trump’s Executive Order Suspending Immigration for 60 Days

Trump Suspends Immigration for 60 Days
May01

Witten by Bita Lak On April 22, 2020, President Trump signed an executive order temporarily suspending the entry of immigrants whose presence would be detrimental to the interests of the United States for an initial period of 60 days. This suspension may be extended depending on the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.   Due to the high rate of unemployment during the pandemic and ongoing economic uncertainty, President Trump’s reasoning provided in the order is to protect American jobs.  On this basis, the issuance of immigrant visas for certain family-based cases and employment-based cases are suspended as of April 23, 2020. 

May 1, 2020
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Non-Citizen Public Charge Ground for Inadmissibility

Non-Citizen Public Charge Ground for Inadmissibility
Apr28

Written by: Bita Lak The purpose of this article is to overview the grounds for inadmissibility with a focus on public charge. A non-citizen who wishes to come to the United States needs to satisfy the requirements for immigrant or non-immigrant classifications. Satisfying the requirements of these classifications do not guarantee admission to the United States. Some applicants may face grounds for inadmissibility upon arrival and could not be admitted to the United States.  Some non-citizens who already reside in the United States can also be considered inadmissible if they evaded inspection by a U.S. immigration official when they entered

April 28, 2020
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Student visa holders and the effect of COVID-19

Student Visa (F1) Holders and Affect of COVID-19
Apr20

Written by Taher Kameli The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic is a worldwide concern. Many businesses and individual lives have been affected by the spread of this virus. International students under F1 visa and non-immigrant visa workers, such as H-1B visa holders, are not exceptions to this situation. As of April 12, 2020, there were 554,849 total cases of coronavirus and 21,942 total deaths in the United States according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report. This pandemic affects current and prospective F1 students. Currently, most universities and colleges

April 20, 2020
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Solutions for H-1B Workers who lost jobs during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Solutions for H-1B Workers Who Lost Jobs during the Pandemic
Apr11

Written by Taher Kameli To control the spreading of the coronavirus (“COVID-19”) in the United States, the implementation of travel restrictions and social distancing has resulted in a serious economic downturn: drop in sales, closure of businesses, and loss of jobs. Since the declaration of a national emergency, millions have lost their jobs and incomes.  This includes  many H-1B workers who now are facing an additional layer of uncertainty – their legal status to work and remain in the United States.  This post will briefly explore the difficulty in maintaining proper H-1B status

April 11, 2020
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2 Federal Courts Issue Decisions to Block Use of Pentagon Funds for President Trump’s Border Wall

BLOCK-PENTAGON-FUNDS-FOR-BORDER-WALl by Taher Kameli
Jan10

Written by: Taher Kameli While President Trump has announced many anti-immigration policies as President, probably his most well-known anti-immigration policy is to construct a wall at the United States southern border.  Yet, despite President Trump’s frequent calls for a border wall, various Federal courts have opposed certain actions by the Trump administration designed to help build the border wall. As further evidence of the statement in the preceding sentence, 2 Federal courts have recently issued decisions to block the use of Pentagon funds for President Trump’s border wall. On December 10, in the case of

January 10, 2020
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Ninth Circuit Supports Lifting Injunctions Against Trump Administration’s “Public Charge” Rule

Anti-immigration Policies Enforced by Trump Administration
Jan04

Written by: Taher Kameli, Esq. In many cases, the only obstacle to the various efforts by the Trump administration to enforce anti-immigration policies has been the Federal judiciary.  However, Federal courts certainly have not ruled in favor of immigrant rights in each case. As an example of a recent Federal court decision in favor of the Trump administration’s anti-immigration policies, the Ninth Circuit supports lifting injunctions against the Trump administration’s “public charge” rule. Announced in August and due to take effect on October 15, the Trump administration’s “public charge” rule would amend U.S. Department of

January 4, 2020
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According to New Inspector General Report, United States Lacked Technology to Track Separated Families under Trump Administration’s “Zero Tolerance Policy”

Zero Tolerance Policy & Lack of Technology to Track Families by Taher Kameli
Dec30

Written by: Taher Kameli, Esq. It is often said that the United States immigration system is broken.  Unfortunately, there are many different examples, from different perspectives and in different contexts, that can support this statement.  As one example of this statement, according to a new inspector general report, the United States lacked the technology to track separated families under the Trump administration’s “Zero Tolerance Policy”. In year 2018, the Trump administration, through the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”), adopted its “Zero Tolerance Policy” – the prosecution of all adults illegally entering the United States.  Because

December 30, 2019
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Humanitarian Aid Volunteer Scott Warren Found Not Guilty of Harboring Unauthorized Migrants in Arizona

Scott Warren Not Guilty of Harboring Unauthorized Migrants
Dec25

Written by: Taher Kameli, Esq. One may think that helping those in need is doing a good deed.  However, apparently in the eyes of the Trump administration, when those in need are unauthorized migrants, helping them can constitute a Federal crime. Notwithstanding this apparent perspective of the Trump administration, on November 20, humanitarian aid volunteer Scott Warren was found not guilty of harboring unauthorized migrants in Arizona. Warren, a volunteer for the humanitarian aid group, “No More Deaths”, was arrested on January 17, 2018 by Border Patrol agents.  The Border Patrol agents had been surveilling

December 25, 2019
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