Hannah G. Harris,
Senior Attorney

Blog

Employer Law Report

Recent Blog Posts

  • USCIS pause on adjudications for nationals from high-risk countries By Hannah Harris    On Dec. 2, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a policy memorandum directing its officers to place an adjudicative hold on pending benefit requests for foreign nationals from 19 high-risk countries identified in the June 4, 2025 Presidential Proclamation, Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States. The purpose of the hold is to allow USCIS time to conduct a comprehensive review of the pending requests.The memorandum also... More
  • President Trump imposes travel restrictions on nationals of 19 countries By Hannah Harris and Laura Jurcevich    On June 4, 2025, President Trump signed a proclamation restricting travel to the United States of nationals from 19 countries. The proclamation is a result of a Jan. 20, 2025 Executive Order issued to reaffirm the Trump administration’s commitment to stricter national security policies. The restrictions, effective 12:01 am EDT on Monday, June 9, 2025, are based on concerns over terrorism, inadequate vetting, failure to accept removable nationals and high visa overstay rates.Full entry ban... More
  • Planning for the H-1B cap online registration period opening March 7, 2025 By Hannah Harris    The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the fiscal year 2026 initial registration period for the H-1B cap will run from noon EST on March 7, 2025, to noon EST on March 24, 2025.The H-1B program is for employers sponsoring foreign nationals in specialty occupations. A specialty occupation is a position that requires the application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and at least a bachelor’s degree in a directly related specific specialty, or its equivalent,... More
  • Immigration policy considerations for employers as we embark on a second Trump administration By Hannah Harris    Immigration reform will be a focal point of the new administration in the early days of Trump’s transition back to the White House with a likelihood that some changes initially will come by way of executive action. The practical implications of any immigration policy changes may begin to take shape in the early months of the new administration, but based on his past administration and campaign rhetoric, it is possible that some changes could be swift.The Trump campaign... More
  • The Conrad 30 Program provides an avenue for J-1 physicians to remain in the U.S. By Hannah Harris    Many medical residency programs, Graduate Medical Education or GME, will accept international medical graduates in the Exchange Visitor (J-1) program sponsored by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). The J-1 program permits physicians to complete graduate medical education or training in the U.S. while in J-1 status.However, the J-1 visa carries with it the two-year home residence requirement, a provision that renders the J-1 physician ineligible to apply for a change of status to another nonimmigrant... More