The New Dynamics for Immigration: Trump Administration and Congressional Priorities
With a Democratic House of Representatives, the dynamics for employment-based immigration and prospects for legislation are shifting. This session will discuss legislation that could impact the ability of HR professionals to access global talent and administrative actions that have and could soon impact the U.S. immigration process, including the Buy American Hire American Executive Order (BAHA), and sub-regulatory measures affecting H-1Bs and other visas.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand Trump administration efforts to add more scrutiny for employment-based immigration, including policy memoranda directing USCIS adjudicators to scrutinize H-1B petitions more closely, challenge eligibility for H-1B benefits more often, and increase enforcement through audits and investigations.
- Understand the recent proposal to revamp the H-1B lottery by creating an electronic registration process and the impact that would have on H-1B cap filing season.
- Understand the prospects for a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) solution and how Democratic immigration priorities could impact any employment-based immigration reforms coming from Capitol Hill.
- Identify the costs, opportunities, and risks associated with job candidates requiring immigration sponsorship.
- Respond strategically to government challenges (Requests for Evidence) to sponsorship applications while reducing costs and increasing speed to market
- Evaluate the soundness of, and recommend action with regard to, corporate compliance programs/obligations, including I-9/E-Verify, LCA, and PERM, in order to help your organization be best prepared for government audits and investigations.
Rebecca Peters
Mrs. Peters has worked with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) since October 2018. She previously worked for SHRM’s former affiliate the Council for Global Immigration (CFGI) in the Washington DC metro-area for nearly fifteen years, helping to advance high skilled immigration and employment verification reforms with the U.S. Congress, the White House and the federal agencies. She has served as a chair of the policy committee of the Compete America coalition. She also serves on other coalitions and working groups to educate and advance immigration system efficiencies and to ensure critical changes to employer immigration compliance are reasonable.
Andrew Greenfield
Andrew Greenfield is an immigration attorney with over 25 years of experience advising HR and global mobility professionals on U.S. immigration and nationality law and policy and related corporate compliance programs. He counsels clients across industries on visa and work permit matters and the immigration consequences of mergers and acquisitions and other corporate reorganizations, as well as I-9/E-Verify, H-1B/LCA and PERM compliance, and representation during government audits and investigations. Andrew is the managing partner of Fragomen’s Washington, DC, office and a member of the firm’s executive committee, which directs and manages the firm’s 50+ offices in over 30 countries.