Senate Passes Overhaul for Immigration

NY Times - The Senate on Thursday approved the most significant overhaul of the nation’s immigration laws in a generation with broad support generated by a sense among leading Republicans that the party needed to join with Democrats to remove a wedge between Republicans and Hispanic voters.

The strong 68-to-32 vote in the often polarized Senate tossed the issue into the House, where the Republican leadership has said that it will not take up the Senate measure and is instead focused on much narrower legislation that would not provide a path to citizenship for the 11 million unauthorized immigrants in the country. Party leaders hope that the Senate action will put pressure on the House.

For the full story, please click:  Senate, 68 to 32, Passes Overhaul for Immigration.

Supreme Court Issues Ruling on Defense of Marriage Act

Washington Post - The Supreme Court’s first rulings on same-sex marriage produced historic gains for gay rights Wednesday: full federal recognition of legally married gay couples and an opening for such unions to resume in the nation’s most-populous state.

The divided court stopped short of a more sweeping ruling that the fundamental right to marry must be extended to gay couples no matter where they live.

For the full story, please click:  At Supreme Court, Victory for Gay Marriage

Next steps is to see how the U.S. Department of Homeland Security will interpret the ruling in regards to immigration benefits to the thousands of people in same-sex relationships.

July Visa Bulletin is Available

To see the complete U.S. Department of State Visa Bulletin for July 2013, please click:  July 2013 Visa Bulletin

Family-Sponsored	All Charge-ability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA- mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	01JUN06	01JUN06	01JUN06	22AUG93	01JUL00
F2A	08OCT11	08OCT11	08OCT11	01SEP11	08OCT11
F2B	01NOV05	01NOV05	01NOV05	01NOV93	22DEC02
F3	01OCT02	01OCT02	01OCT02	22APR93	22NOV92
F4	22MAY01	22MAY01	22MAY01	22SEP96	15DEC89

Employment- Based	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA- mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
1st	C	C	C	C	C
2nd	C	08AUG08	01SEP04	C	C
3rd	01JAN09	01JAN09	22JAN03	01JAN09	01OCT06
Other Workers	01JAN09	22MAR04	22JAN03	01JAN09	01OCT06
4th	C	C	C	C	C
Certain Religious Workers	C	C	C	C	C
5th Targeted EmploymentAreas/ Regional Centers and Pilot Programs	C	C	C	C	C

Provisional Waiver - Update

Since U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) began accepting applications for  Provisional Waivers, more than 4,000 applicants have filed their application in the hopes to minimize time spent apart from their loved ones during the lengthy process of obtaining a U.S. immigrant visa.

Senh Law Associates has experience in Provisional Waiver applications.  To set up a free telephone consultation to determine if we can assist you with a Provisional Waiver, please fill out our consultation form by clicking:   Schedule a Consultation

Schumer Predicts Immigration Bill will Pass Senate by July 4

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Sunday predicted the Senate would pass its immigration reform bill by July 4 and said a strong vote for the measure could force House Republicans to embrace the Gang of Eight’s bill, despite Speaker John Boehner’s (R-Ohio) vow to the contrary.

Schumer said he and the other authors of the proposal hoped to win 70 votes, including nearly a majority of Republicans.

The House is drafting its own series of immigration bills, and Boehner has said the lower chamber would not be “steamrolled” by Democrats. In a joint statement last month, the entire House Republican leadership said the House would not simply “take up and pass” the Senate bill.

To read the full article, please click:  Schumer Predicts Immigration Bill will Pass Senate by July 4