Millions of applicants nationwide are waiting longer for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to process and approve applications and petitions for immigration benefits. All the categories in family-based benefits, employment-based benefits, naturalization, travel documents, and employment authorization are being affected. Between FY2017 and FY2019, USCIS’s processing times for all petitions and application form types rose more than 37%. For common form types, processing [...]

We are proud to announce Laura Weiner as the first winner of the Levene Gouldin & Thompson Regional Connection Scholarship! Laura is currently attending City University of New York School of Law. Her unique path to the field of law began in the music industry (she is a professional French horn player), which phased into work in the prison system (music programs for the incarcerated), which led to a desire to help change the carceral system directly through the law. We are proud to help [...]

On August 9, 2021, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) announced that applicants filing to apply for a green card are now able to apply for a Social Security number (SSN) or replacement card using a single form, the updated Form I-485 Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status. To lawfully work in the United Statements, employees must show evidence of their identity and employment eligibility. An unrestricted Social Security card from the Social [...]

Effective May 17, 2021, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will temporarily suspend the biometrics requirement for certain applicants filing Form I-539 application to request an extension of stay in or change of status to H-4, L-2, and E nonimmigrant status.  This suspension will apply through May 17, 2023. This suspension will apply only to the above categories of Form I-539 applications that are either: Pending as of May 17, 2021, and have not yet received a biometric [...]

As a member of a New York State Bar Association task force,  LGT partner, Karen McMullen, is advocating for legislative solutions for safe visitation to residents of nursing homes and adult care facilities during the pandemic. Currently, visitation is limited to virtual connections or short visits with mandated masking and social distancing in designated areas – which is particularly difficult for families with loved ones suffering from dementia. Karen, along with her colleague, [...]