April 11
USCIS has the power to help U.S. employers and lawfully admitted foreign nationals to extend any and all immigration-related deadlines, including expiration of status. Many doctors, nurses and healthcare workers are foreign nationals on nonimmigrant visas fighting on the front lines to save lives.
Other countries have already extended nonimmigrant visas and expiring status due to extenuating circumstances caused by COVID-19 – the U.S. needs to follow suit.
Immigration attorneys and their clients face a hazardous catch-22: choose between missing a filing deadline that could jeopardize clients or violate stay at home orders and expose themselves to a deadly virus.
On March 23, 2020, the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) sent a letter to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) calling for an immediate suspension of immigration benefit deadlines and the maintenance of status for nonimmigrants in the U.S. amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Following the letter, the AILA filed a complaint on behalf of its member against USCIS in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia seeking the necessary measures.
Many other federal agencies, such as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), have extended deadlines to help mitigate risk without penalty. USCIS needs to extend filing deadlines so that foreign nationals lawfully present in the United States can maintain status during this pandemic. Otherwise, USCIS is imperiling the public as a whole.
Recent Immigration Articles
Check out these articles below
– Additional Case Profiles In early 2025, the U.S. government launched an unprecedented immigration crackdown targeting foreign students and recent graduates involved in pro-Palestinian activism. President Donald Trump vowed to “find and deport” international students who joined campus protests criticizing Israel’s war in Gaza, and by late March the State Department had revoked the visas
Read MoreInvestigation into Recent Mass Student Visa Revocations (2024–2025) Background and Overview In late 2024 and early 2025, U.S. immigration authorities carried out a wave of student visa revocations that has affected hundreds of international students across the country. These actions have primarily targeted holders of F-1 student visas (including those on Optional Practical Training and
Read MoreH-1B Visa Lottery: Fiscal Year 2026 Comprehensive Update The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has officially completed the initial selection process for the Fiscal Year 2026 H-1B visa lottery. This lottery significantly impacts STEM engineers, IT professionals, researchers, and many other specialized workers aiming to advance their careers in the United States by obtaining
Read MoreUnderstanding the EB-4 Visa: Pathway for Special Immigrants The Employment-Based Fourth Preference (EB-4) visa serves as a crucial avenue for “special immigrants” to attain permanent residency in the United States. This category addresses unique immigration needs not encompassed by traditional employment or family-based visas. Eligibility Criteria for EB-4 Visa The EB-4 visa encompasses various
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