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Amid prolonged uncertainty about the future of the EB-5 Program, USCIS appears to be forging ahead with attempts to improve its systems and service. At the November 1, 2016, liaison meeting with the American Immigration Lawyer’s Association (AILA) USCIS Field Operations Liaison Committee and participating EB-5 Committee representatives, USCIS’s Investor Program Office (IPO) answered some probing questions about: 1. Whether cases in fact are processed as first-in-first-out,  2.

Last Monday David Carle, Leahy's spokesman when asked about the prospects for EB-5 reform legislation in light of the new President-elect Trump stated: "That would be pure speculation, I have never heard Trump comment on the program one way or the other." Leahy was elected to his eight term in the Senate ealier this month and according to Carle, the Senator continue to support the proposed EB-5 changes.

Carle affirmed that the Senator "made it very clear he does not support doing the program without reforms."

On October 24, 2016, U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services announced that it is raising filing fees by about 30%. The new fees will be effective December 23rd. USCIS is almost entirely funded by the fees paid by applicants and petitioners for immigration benefits. The law requires USCIS to conduct fee reviews every two (2) years to determine the funding levels necessary to administer the nation's immigration laws, process benefit requests and provide the infrastructure needed to support those activities.

The Continuing Resolution (CR) signed by President Barack Obama today officially extends authorization of the EB-5 Regional Center Program through December 9 which was due to lapse on Sept

On September 22, 2016, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell filed a Continuing Resolution (CR) that would extend federal funding, an the EB-5 Regional Center Program, through December 9, 2016. Neither Democrats in Congress nor the White House have agreed to the legisative text yet and negotiations are expected to continue into next week (on issues unrelated to EB-5) when there will be a cloture bote on the CR, which is now scheduled for September 27 at 2:15 EST.

What will happen over the next few days? The most likely scenario is for short-term RC program authorization to be included (just like last year) in a continuing resolution to keep the government funded. Industry groups are pushing for this to happen to give Congress and the industry more time to negotiate long-term reform and reauthorization.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is proposing a new rule, which would allow certain international entrepreneurs to be considered for parole (temporary permission to be in the United States) so that they may start or scale their businesses here in the United States.

On July 5, 2016 the leading EB-5 Trade Associations/Coalitions sent a letter to the Senate and House Judiciary Committee Leaders and Members expressing support for extending the EB-5 Regional Center Program and recommending concrete changes.  This is a decisive moment for the EB-5 Industry as the key members of the community are all speaking with one voice.

Just when employers in the United States were raising concerns about the steep increase in the statutory fees for certain H-1B and L-1 petitions (to say nothing about continued complaints regarding the lengthy delays in adjudicating petitions), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) threw another curve ball.

On April 22, 2016 the Congressional Research Service has published the following report to inform members of Congress about the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa.   "The immigrant investor visa was created in 1990 to benefit the U.S. economy through