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Agricultural Guest Worker Reform Initiative Act of 2021
Legislative Progress
Introduced
March 19, 2021
Latest Action
October 19, 2021
Primary Sponsor
Eric A. "Rick" CrawfordRepublican(AR)
Momentum (last 30 days)
0
score
0 actions · 0 new cosponsors · 0 votes
Speed vs cohort
89pct
214d open
vs 9,698 other HR bills in the 117th — cohort avg 63d
Agricultural Guest Worker Reform Initiative Act of 2021 or the AGRI Act of 2021 This bill revises provisions related to H-2A (temporary agricultural worker) visas, including to eliminate certain requirements to hire U.S. workers, expand the program to include dairy and ranch workers, and shift administrative responsibilities from the Department of Labor to the Department of Agriculture (USDA). The bill establishes a trust fund to be used to (1) administer and enforce the program, (2) collect a portion of guest worker wages to be paid upon a worker's return to the worker's country of origin, and (3) provide emergency medical services for guest workers. The bill eliminates a requirement that, during the first half of the time period of a guest worker contract, certain employers must hire any qualified U.S. employee who applies to perform the job the guest worker was hired to perform. Furthermore, an employer shall not be required to pay a guest worker a wage higher than the highest of federal, state, or local minimum wage rates. The bill places limitations on when guest workers may receive civil legal assistance for low-income individuals. Employer-provided housing shall be governed generally by USDA regulations, where currently such housing must meet applicable federal, state, or local standards. Employers shall not have to provide housing to workers who can reasonably return to their permanent residence within the same day. An employer may file a civil action to recover transportation costs from a guest worker who absconds from a contract.
These links require the bill number to appear in the filing's source-reported specific issue text. Client expenses and lobbying-firm income are separate disclosure fields.
Filing registrants (2)
2022 · fourth_quarter · Immigration
H.R. 6, American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 H.R. 78, Legal Workforce Act H.R. 206/S. 4813, Paperwork Reduction for Farmers and H-2A Modernization Act H.R. 401, Landscaping Workforce Act of 2021 H.R. 427, Moving H-2A to United States Department of Agriculture Act of 2021 H.R. 865, American Jobs First Act of 2021 H.R. 1037, Better Agriculture Resources Now (BARN) Act H.R. 1177/S. 348, U.S. Citizenship Act H.R. 1571, Dairy H-2A Eligibility Act H.R. 1603, Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2021 H.R. 2064, TPS and DED Protection Act of 2021 H.R. 2086, Agricultural Guest Worker Reform Initiative Act of 2021 H.R. 2255/S. 1024, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act H.R. 2298, Accountability Through Electronic Verification Act H.R. 2839/S. 1358, Bipartisan Border Solutions Act of 2021 H.R. 2901/S. 831, EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2021 H.R. 3215, Temporary Family Visitation Act H.R. 3237, Emergency Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 H.R. 3385/S. 2083, HOPE for Afghan SIVs Act of 2021 H.R. 3513/S. 2032, Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2021 H.R. 3541, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act H.R. 3648, Equal Access to Green cards for Legal Employment (EAGLE) Act of 2021 H.R. 3897, H-2B Returning Worker Exception Act of 2021 H.R. 4288, Workforce for an Expanding Economy Act H.R. 4331, Americas Cultivation of Hope and Inclusion for Long-term Dependents Raised and Educated Natively Act of 2021 (Americas CHILDREN Act of 2021) H.R. 4521, America Creating Opportunities for Manufacturing, Pre-Eminence in Technology, and Economic Strength (America COMPETES) Act of 2022 H.R. 4578, Relief for Seasonal Businesses Act of 2021 H.R. 4681, Let Immigrants Kickstart Employment (LIKE) Act of 2021 H.R. 4856, Canadian Snowbird Visa Act H.R. 5498, Preserving Employment Visas Act H.R. 5887/S. 3134, Keep Food Local and Affordable Act of 2021 H.R. 5924, Keep STEM Talent Act of 2021 H.R. 6206, American Tech Workforce Act of 2021 H.R. 6637, Dignity for Immigrants while Guarding our Nation to Ignite and Deliver the American Dream (DIGNIDAD Dignity) Act H.R. 7239, Essential Workers for Economic Advancement Act H.R. 7441, Acute Labor Shortage Solutions Act of 2022 H.R. 7549, Seasonal Worker Solidarity Act of 2022 H.R. 8295, Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2023 H.R. 8433, Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929 H.R. 8685/S. 4787, Afghan Adjustment Act H. Res. 901, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that BridgeUSA exchange programs are vital to the economy and national interests of the United States, and that Congress should prioritize robust support to ensure equitable opportunities for Americans and people from other countries S. 71, Accountability Through Electronic Verification Act S. 264, Dream Act of 2021 S. 306, Safe Environment from Countries Under Repression and Emergency (SECURE) Act S. 418, E-Verify Act S. 478, Higher Wages for American Workers Act of 2021 S. 495, Prioritizing Help to Businesses Act S. 959, Secure and Protect Act of 2021 S. 970, Backlog Elimination, Legal Immigration, and Employment Visa Enhancement (BELIEVE) Act S. 1810, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act S. 1861, Partner with Korea Act S. 2207, A bill to temporarily increase the availability of temporary nonimmigrant nonagricultural workers for the purposes of restoring American forests, and for other purposes S. 2443, A bill to expand the definition of H-2A nonimmigrant for purposes of the Immigration and Nationality Act to include aliens engaged in seafood processing, horticultural commodities, or the care of horses S. 2753, Protecting Children of Long-term Visa Holders Act of 2021 S. 2828, Preserving Employment Visas Act S. 3638, Keep STEM Talent Act of 2022 S. 3720, H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act of 2022 S. 3721, Resolving Extended Limbo for Immigrant Employees and Families (RELIEF) Act S. 3850, Securing America's Ports of Entry Act of 2022 S. 3869, A bill to add Ireland to the E-3 nonimmigrant visa program S. 4659, Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2023 Draft legislation titled Affordable and Secure Food Act Proposed Rule, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security; Optional Alternatives to the Physical Document Examination Associated with Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I-9) (87 Fed. Reg. 50,786-50,794, August 18, 2022) Various issues relating to visa waiver program; H-1B Visa Program; H-1B registration rule; H-1B reform; H-2 Visa Program and temporary rule; H-2A Visa Program; H-4 rule; L-1 Visa Program; J-1 BridgeUSA program; EB-5 Visa Program; EB-5 regional center program; E-Verify program; nonimmigrant workers in temporary or seasonal nonagricultural employment; Customs and Border Protection staffing at U.S. ports of entry; border security; immigration policy and reforms; guest worker programs; legalization concepts; visa reform; customs trade facilitation and enforcement; Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program; extension of temporary protected status (TPS) designations for El Salvador, Honduras, and Haiti; administrative-regulatory efforts related to public charge, notice to appear, H-4 & OPT; delays in H-4 and L-2 Status Extensions and Employment Authorization Documents (EADs); FY22 funding for Customs and Border Protection staffing; restarting routine visa processing during the COVID-19 pandemic; high-skilled immigration; lesser skilled immigration; temporary agricultural guest workers; temporary non-agricultural guest workers; optional practical training program; size and administration of employment-based immigrant visa categories; size and administration of family-based immigrant visa categories; size and administration of employment-based nonimmigrant visa categories; expansion of the use of the E-Verify system; I-9 employment verification; interior enforcement; increased vetting of visa applicants; unfair immigration related employment practices; international travel; trusted traveler programs; biometric entry-exit; increasing the number of ICE officers, border patrol agents and Customs and Border Protection officers; aerial security enhancements; temporary DHS guidance for the I-9 employment verification process in the wake of COVID-19; State Department policy extending consular interview waiver eligibility; temporary United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) procedures to provide flexibility with regard to filing deadlines, and temporary USCIS guidelines providing flexibility to wet-ink signatures on USCIS forms and documents; United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) funding shortfalls and extending premium processing capability for the adjudication of various immigration forms; regulatory proposals that would restrict applicant eligibility for the H-1B program; regulatory proposals that would drastically change how prevailing wage levels are determined for the purposes of obtaining certain employment nonimmigrant and immigrant visas; proposals that would significantly change how cap-subject H-1B petitions will be chosen in the future; regulatory proposals that would change how the period of admission for student visa holders and exchange visa holders is determined; regulatory proposals that will temporarily raise the annual quota for H-2B visas; enhanced COVID-19 testing protocols for international air travel; creation/use of digital passports; reopening and expanding consular operations; fully reinstituting routine visa processing at U.S. embassies and consulates abroad; recapturing unused immigrant visas from prior years; creating exemptions to the current immigrant visa caps; proposals that would expand consular interview waivers for prospective immigrant and nonimmigrant visa applicants abroad; implementation of the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022, P.L. 117-103, Division BB; proposals that would provide relief for Afghan refugees; granting temporary protected status and special student relief to Ukrainian nationals; ensuring Ukrainian applicants for refugee/asylee status have access; potential Reinstitution of Stateside Visa Revalidation Services; implementation of electronic visa foils in passports; consular service delays; USCIS processing delays; Visa relief for long term foreign national workers laid off by their employers while waiting for their green cards in the immigrant visa backlogs; improving wait times for CBP Processing at Ports of Entry; expanding and implementing new CBP preclearance facilities abroad
Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Introduced in House
Congress.gov source codes: 1000, Intro-H
Bills with similar content found using semantic analysis.
Sources: Congress.gov
Client expense: $20,990,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS), Executive Office of the President (EOP), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, State, Dept of (DOS), White House Office
2022 · third_quarter · Immigration
H.R. 6, American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 H.R. 78, Legal Workforce Act H.R. 206/S. 4813, Paperwork Reduction for Farmers and H-2A Modernization Act H.R. 401, Landscaping Workforce Act of 2021 H.R. 427, Moving H-2A to United States Department of Agriculture Act of 2021 H.R. 865, American Jobs First Act of 2021 H.R. 1037, Better Agriculture Resources Now (BARN) Act H.R. 1177/S. 348, U.S. Citizenship Act H.R. 1571, Dairy H-2A Eligibility Act H.R. 1603, Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2021 H.R. 2064, TPS and DED Protection Act of 2021 H.R. 2086, Agricultural Guest Worker Reform Initiative Act of 2021 H.R. 2255/S. 1024, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act H.R. 2298, Accountability Through Electronic Verification Act H.R. 2839/S. 1358, Bipartisan Border Solutions Act of 2021 H.R. 2901/S. 831, EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2021 H.R. 3215, Temporary Family Visitation Act H.R. 3237, Emergency Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 H.R. 3385/S. 2083, HOPE for Afghan SIVs Act of 2021 H.R. 3513/S. 2032, Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2021 H.R. 3541, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act H.R. 3648, Equal Access to Green cards for Legal Employment (EAGLE) Act of 2021 H.R. 3897, H-2B Returning Worker Exception Act of 2021 H.R. 4288, Workforce for an Expanding Economy Act H.R. 4331, Americas Cultivation of Hope and Inclusion for Long-term Dependents Raised and Educated Natively Act of 2021 (Americas CHILDREN Act of 2021) H.R. 4521, America Creating Opportunities for Manufacturing, Pre-Eminence in Technology, and Economic Strength (America COMPETES) Act of 2022 H.R. 4578, Relief for Seasonal Businesses Act of 2021 H.R. 4681, Let Immigrants Kickstart Employment (LIKE) Act of 2021 H.R. 4856, Canadian Snowbird Visa Act H.R. 5498, Preserving Employment Visas Act H.R. 5887/S. 3134, Keep Food Local and Affordable Act of 2021 H.R. 5924, Keep STEM Talent Act of 2021 H.R. 6206, American Tech Workforce Act of 2021 H.R. 6637, Dignity for Immigrants while Guarding our Nation to Ignite and Deliver the American Dream (DIGNIDAD Dignity) Act H.R. 7239, Essential Workers for Economic Advancement Act H.R. 7441, Acute Labor Shortage Solutions Act of 2022 H.R. 7549, Seasonal Worker Solidarity Act of 2022 H.R. 7900/S. 4543, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 H.R. 8257/S. 4679, Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2023 H.R. 8295/S. 4659, Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2023 H.R. 8433, Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929 H.R. 8685/S. 4787, Afghan Adjustment Act H. Res. 901, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that BridgeUSA exchange programs are vital to the economy and national interests of the United States, and that Congress should prioritize robust support to ensure equitable opportunities for Americans and people from other countries S. 71, Accountability Through Electronic Verification Act S. 264, Dream Act of 2021 S. 306, Safe Environment from Countries Under Repression and Emergency (SECURE) Act S. 418, E-Verify Act S. 478, Higher Wages for American Workers Act of 2021 S. 495, Prioritizing Help to Businesses Act S. 959, Secure and Protect Act of 2021 S. 970, Backlog Elimination, Legal Immigration, and Employment Visa Enhancement (BELIEVE) Act S. 1810, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act S. 1861, Partner with Korea Act S. 2207, A bill to temporarily increase the availability of temporary nonimmigrant nonagricultural workers for the purposes of restoring American forests, and for other purposes S. 2443, A bill to expand the definition of H-2A nonimmigrant for purposes of the Immigration and Nationality Act to include aliens engaged in seafood processing, horticultural commodities, or the care of horses S. 2753, Protecting Children of Long-term Visa Holders Act of 2021 S. 2828, Preserving Employment Visas Act S. 3638, Keep STEM Talent Act of 2022 S. 3720, H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act of 2022 S. 3721, Resolving Extended Limbo for Immigrant Employees and Families (RELIEF) Act S. 3850, Securing America's Ports of Entry Act of 2022 S. 3869, A bill to add Ireland to the E-3 nonimmigrant visa program S. 4659, Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2023 Various issues relating to visa waiver program; H-1B Visa Program; H-1B registration rule; H-1B reform; H-2 Visa Program and temporary rule; H-2A Visa Program; H-4 rule; L-1 Visa Program; J-1 BridgeUSA program; EB-5 Visa Program; EB-5 regional center program; E-Verify program; nonimmigrant workers in temporary or seasonal nonagricultural employment; Customs and Border Protection staffing at U.S. ports of entry; border security; immigration policy and reforms; guest worker programs; legalization concepts; visa reform; customs trade facilitation and enforcement; Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program; extension of temporary protected status (TPS) designations for El Salvador, Honduras, and Haiti; administrative-regulatory efforts related to public charge, notice to appear, H-4 & OPT; delays in H-4 and L-2 Status Extensions and Employment Authorization Documents (EADs); FY22 funding for Customs and Border Protection staffing; restarting routine visa processing during the COVID-19 pandemic; high-skilled immigration; lesser skilled immigration; temporary agricultural guest workers; temporary non-agricultural guest workers; optional practical training program; size and administration of employment-based immigrant visa categories; size and administration of family-based immigrant visa categories; size and administration of employment-based nonimmigrant visa categories; expansion of the use of the E-Verify system; I-9 employment verification; interior enforcement; temporary suspension of entry of nationals from certain countries; increased vetting of visa applicants; unfair immigration related employment practices; international travel; trusted traveler programs; biometric entry-exit; increasing the number of ICE officers, border patrol agents and Customs and Border Protection officers; aerial security enhancements; temporary DHS guidance for the I-9 employment verification process in the wake of COVID-19; State Department policy extending consular interview waiver eligibility; temporary United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) procedures to provide flexibility with regard to filing deadlines, and temporary USCIS guidelines providing flexibility to wet-ink signatures on USCIS forms and documents; United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) funding shortfalls and extending premium processing capability for the adjudication of various immigration forms; regulatory proposals that would restrict applicant eligibility for the H-1B program; regulatory proposals that would drastically change how prevailing wage levels are determined for the purposes of obtaining certain employment nonimmigrant and immigrant visas; proposals that would significantly change how cap-subject H-1B petitions will be chosen in the future; regulatory proposals that would change how the period of admission for student visa holders and exchange visa holders is determined; regulatory proposals that will temporarily raise the annual quota for H-2B visas; enhanced COVID-19 testing protocols for international air travel; creation/use of digital passports; reopening and expanding consular operations; fully reinstituting routine visa processing at U.S. embassies and consulates abroad; rescinding or reforming current travel restrictions at land ports of entry; rescinding or reforming current travel restrictions for international air travel; recapturing unused immigrant visas from prior years; creating exemptions to the current immigrant visa caps; proposals that would expand consular interview waivers for prospective immigrant and nonimmigrant visa applicants abroad; implementation of the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022, P.L. 117-103, Division BB; proposals that would provide relief for Afghan refugees; granting temporary protected status and special student relief to Ukrainian nationals; ensuring Ukrainian applicants for refugee/asylee status have access; potential Reinstitution of Stateside Visa Revalidation Services; implementation of electronic visa foils in passports; consular service delays; USCIS processing delays
Client expense: $23,940,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS), Executive Office of the President (EOP), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, State, Dept of (DOS), White House Office
2022 · second_quarter · Immigration
H.R. 6, American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 H.R. 78, Legal Workforce Act H.R. 206, Paperwork Reduction for Farmers and H-2A Modernization Act H.R. 401, Landscaping Workforce Act of 2021 H.R. 427, Moving H-2A to United States Department of Agriculture Act of 2021 H.R. 865, American Jobs First Act of 2021 H.R. 1037, Better Agriculture Resources Now (BARN) Act H.R. 1177/S. 348, U.S. Citizenship Act H.R. 1571, Dairy H-2A Eligibility Act H.R. 1603, Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2021 H.R. 2064, TPS and DED Protection Act of 2021 H.R. 2086, Agricultural Guest Worker Reform Initiative Act of 2021 H.R. 2255/S. 1024, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act H.R. 2298, Accountability Through Electronic Verification Act H.R. 2839/S. 1358, Bipartisan Border Solutions Act of 2021 H.R. 2901, EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2021 H.R. 3215, Temporary Family Visitation Act H.R. 3237, Emergency Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 H.R. 3385/S. 2083, HOPE for Afghan SIVs Act of 2021 H.R. 3513/S. 2032, Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2021 H.R. 3541, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act H.R. 3648, Equal Access to Green cards for Legal Employment (EAGLE) Act of 2021 H.R. 3897, H-2B Returning Worker Exception Act of 2021 H.R. 4288, Workforce for an Expanding Economy Act H.R. 4331, Americas Cultivation of Hope and Inclusion for Long-term Dependents Raised and Educated Natively Act of 2021 (Americas CHILDREN Act of 2021) H.R. 4521, America Creating Opportunities for Manufacturing, Pre-Eminence in Technology, and Economic Strength (America COMPETES) Act of 2022 H.R. 4578, Relief for Seasonal Businesses Act of 2021 H.R. 4681, Let Immigrants Kickstart Employment (LIKE) Act of 2021 H.R. 4856, Canadian Snowbird Visa Act H.R. 5498, Preserving Employment Visas Act H.R. 5887/S. 3134, Keep Food Local and Affordable Act of 2021 H.R. 5924, Keep STEM Talent Act of 2021 H.R. 6206, American Tech Workforce Act of 2021 H.R. 6637, Dignity for Immigrants while Guarding our Nation to Ignite and Deliver the American Dream (DIGNIDAD Dignity) Act H.R. 7239, Essential Workers for Economic Advancement Act H.R. 7441, Acute Labor Shortage Solutions Act of 2022 H. Res. 901, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that BridgeUSA exchange programs are vital to the economy and national interests of the United States, and that Congress should prioritize robust support to ensure equitable opportunities for Americans and people from other countries S. 71, Accountability Through Electronic Verification Act S. 264, Dream Act of 2021 S. 306, Safe Environment from Countries Under Repression and Emergency (SECURE) Act S. 418, E-Verify Act S. 478, Higher Wages for American Workers Act of 2021 S. 495, Prioritizing Help to Businesses Act S. 831, EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2021 S. 959, Secure and Protect Act of 2021 S. 970, Backlog Elimination, Legal Immigration, and Employment Visa Enhancement (BELIEVE) Act S. 1810, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act S. 1861, Partner with Korea Act S. 2207, A bill to temporarily increase the availability of temporary nonimmigrant nonagricultural workers for the purposes of restoring American forests, and for other purposes S. 2443, A bill to expand the definition of H-2A nonimmigrant for purposes of the Immigration and Nationality Act to include aliens engaged in seafood processing, horticultural commodities, or the care of horses S. 2753, Protecting Children of Long-term Visa Holders Act of 2021 S. 2828, Preserving Employment Visas Act S. 3638, Keep STEM Talent Act of 2022 S. 3720, H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act of 2022 S. 3721, Resolving Extended Limbo for Immigrant Employees and Families (RELIEF) Act S. 3850, Securing America's Ports of Entry Act of 2022 S. 3869, A bill to add Ireland to the E-3 nonimmigrant visa program Draft legislation titled Making appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, and for other purposes Various issues relating to visa waiver program; H-1B Visa Program; H-1B registration rule; H-1B reform; H-2 Visa Program and temporary rule; H-2A Visa Program; H-4 rule; L-1 Visa Program; J-1 BridgeUSA program; EB-5 Visa Program; EB-5 regional center program; E-Verify program; nonimmigrant workers in temporary or seasonal nonagricultural employment; Customs and Border Protection staffing at U.S. ports of entry; border security; immigration policy and reforms; guest worker programs; legalization concepts; visa reform; customs trade facilitation and enforcement; Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program; extension of temporary protected status (TPS) designations for El Salvador, Honduras, and Haiti; administrative-regulatory efforts related to public charge, notice to appear, H-4 & OPT; delays in H-4 and L-2 Status Extensions and Employment Authorization Documents (EADs); FY22 funding for Customs and Border Protection staffing; restarting routine visa processing during the COVID-19 pandemic; high-skilled immigration; lesser skilled immigration; temporary agricultural guest workers; temporary non-agricultural guest workers; optional practical training program; size and administration of employment-based immigrant visa categories; size and administration of family-based immigrant visa categories; size and administration of employment-based nonimmigrant visa categories; expansion of the use of the E-Verify system; I-9 employment verification; interior enforcement; temporary suspension of entry of nationals from certain countries; increased vetting of visa applicants; unfair immigration related employment practices; international travel; trusted traveler programs; biometric entry-exit; increasing the number of ICE officers, border patrol agents and Customs and Border Protection officers; aerial security enhancements; temporary DHS guidance for the I-9 employment verification process in the wake of COVID-19; State Department policy extending consular interview waiver eligibility; temporary United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) procedures to provide flexibility with regard to filing deadlines, and temporary USCIS guidelines providing flexibility to wet-ink signatures on USCIS forms and documents; United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) funding shortfalls and extending premium processing capability for the adjudication of various immigration forms; regulatory proposals that would restrict applicant eligibility for the H-1B program; regulatory proposals that would drastically change how prevailing wage levels are determined for the purposes of obtaining certain employment nonimmigrant and immigrant visas; proposals that would significantly change how cap-subject H-1B petitions will be chosen in the future; regulatory proposals that would change how the period of admission for student visa holders and exchange visa holders is determined; regulatory proposals that will temporarily raise the annual quota for H-2B visas; enhanced COVID-19 testing protocols for international air travel; creation/use of digital passports; reopening and expanding consular operations; fully reinstituting routine visa processing at U.S. embassies and consulates abroad; rescinding or reforming current travel restrictions at land ports of entry; rescinding or reforming current travel restrictions for international air travel; recapturing unused immigrant visas from prior years; creating exemptions to the current immigrant visa caps; proposals that would expand consular interview waivers for prospective immigrant and nonimmigrant visa applicants abroad; implementation of the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022, P.L. 117-103, Division BB; proposals that would provide relief for Afghan refugees; granting temporary protected status and special student relief to Ukrainian nationals; ensuring Ukrainian applicants for refugee/asylee status have access; potential Reinstitution of Stateside Visa Revalidation Services; implementation of electronic visa foils in passports; consular service delays; USCIS processing delays
Client expense: $15,800,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS), Executive Office of the President (EOP), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, State, Dept of (DOS), White House Office
2022 · first_quarter · Immigration
H.R. 6, American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 H.R. 78, Legal Workforce Act H.R. 206, Paperwork Reduction for Farmers and H-2A Modernization Act H.R. 401, Landscaping Workforce Act of 2021 H.R. 427, Moving H-2A to United States Department of Agriculture Act of 2021 H.R. 865, American Jobs First Act of 2021 H.R. 1037, Better Agriculture Resources Now (BARN) Act H.R. 1177/S. 348, U.S. Citizenship Act H.R. 1571, Dairy H-2A Eligibility Act H.R. 1603, Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2021 H.R. 2064, TPS and DED Protection Act of 2021 H.R. 2086, Agricultural Guest Worker Reform Initiative Act of 2021 H.R. 2255/S. 1024, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act H.R. 2298/S. 71, Accountability Through Electronic Verification Act H.R. 2839/S. 1358, Bipartisan Border Solutions Act of 2021 H.R. 2901, EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2021 H.R. 3237, Emergency Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 H.R. 3385/S. 2083, HOPE for Afghan SIVs Act of 2021 H.R. 3513/S. 2032, Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2021 H.R. 3648, Equal Access to Green cards for Legal Employment (EAGLE) Act of 2021 H.R. 3897, H-2B Returning Worker Exception Act of 2021 H.R. 4521, America Creating Opportunities for Manufacturing, Pre-Eminence in Technology, and Economic Strength (America COMPETES) Act of 2022 H.R. 4578, Relief for Seasonal Businesses Act of 2021 H.R. 4856, Canadian Snowbird Visa Act H.R. 5498, Preserving Employment Visas Act H.R. 5887/S. 3134, Keep Food Local and Affordable Act of 2021 H.R. 6206, American Tech Workforce Act of 2021 H.R. 6637, Dignity for Immigrants while Guarding our Nation to Ignite and Deliver the American Dream (DIGNIDAD Dignity) Act H. Res. 901, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that BridgeUSA exchange programs are vital to the economy and national interests of the United States, and that Congress should prioritize robust support to ensure equitable opportunities for Americans and people from other countries S. 264, Dream Act of 2021 S. 306, Safe Environment from Countries Under Repression and Emergency (SECURE) Act S. 418, E-Verify Act S. 478, Higher Wages for American Workers Act of 2021 S. 495, Prioritizing Help to Businesses Act S. 831, EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2021 S. 959, Secure and Protect Act of 2021 S. 970, Backlog Elimination, Legal Immigration, and Employment Visa Enhancement (BELIEVE) Act S. 1358, Bipartisan Border Solutions Act of 2021 S. 1810, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act S. 2443, A bill to expand the definition of H-2A nonimmigrant for purposes of the Immigration and Nationality Act to include aliens engaged in seafood processing, horticultural commodities, or the care of horses S. 2828, Preserving Employment Visas Act S. 3638, Keep STEM Talent Act of 2022 S. 3720, H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act of 2022 S. 3721, Resolving Extended Limbo for Immigrant Employees and Families (RELIEF) Act S. 3850, Securing America's Ports of Entry Act of 2022 Proposed Rule, Employment and Training Administration, Department of Labor; Adverse Effect Wage Rate Methodology for the Temporary Employment of H-2A Nonimmigrants in Non-Range Occupations in the U.S., (86 Fed. Reg. 68,174-68,200, December 1, 2021) Various issues relating to visa waiver program; H-1B Visa Program; H-1B registration rule; H-1B reform; H-2 Visa Program and temporary rule; H-2A Visa Program; H-4 rule; L-1 Visa Program; J-1 BridgeUSA program; EB-5 Visa Program; EB-5 regional center program; E-Verify program; nonimmigrant workers in temporary or seasonal nonagricultural employment; Customs and Border Protection staffing at U.S. ports of entry; border security; immigration policy and reforms; guest worker programs; legalization concepts; visa reform; customs trade facilitation and enforcement; Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program; extension of temporary protected status (TPS) designations for El Salvador, Honduras, and Haiti; administrative-regulatory efforts related to public charge, notice to appear, H-4 & OPT; delays in H-4 and L-2 Status Extensions and Employment Authorization Documents (EADs); FY22 funding for Customs and Border Protection staffing; restarting routine visa processing during the COVID-19 pandemic; high-skilled immigration; lesser skilled immigration; temporary agricultural guest workers; temporary non-agricultural guest workers; optional practical training program; size and administration of employment-based immigrant visa categories; size and administration of family-based immigrant visa categories; size and administration of employment-based nonimmigrant visa categories; expansion of the use of the E-Verify system; I-9 employment verification; interior enforcement; temporary suspension of entry of nationals from certain countries; increased vetting of visa applicants; unfair immigration related employment practices; international travel; trusted traveler programs; biometric entry-exit; increasing the number of ICE officers, border patrol agents and Customs and Border Protection officers; aerial security enhancements; temporary DHS guidance for the I-9 employment verification process in the wake of COVID-19; State Department policy extending consular interview waiver eligibility; temporary United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) procedures to provide flexibility with regard to filing deadlines, and temporary USCIS guidelines providing flexibility to wet-ink signatures on USCIS forms and documents; United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) funding shortfalls and extending premium processing capability for the adjudication of various immigration forms; regulatory proposals that would restrict applicant eligibility for the H-1B program; regulatory proposals that would drastically change how prevailing wage levels are determined for the purposes of obtaining certain employment nonimmigrant and immigrant visas; proposals that would significantly change how cap-subject H-1B petitions will be chosen in the future; regulatory proposals that would change how the period of admission for student visa holders and exchange visa holders is determined; regulatory proposals that will temporarily raise the annual quota for H-2B visas; enhanced COVID-19 testing protocols for international air travel; creation/use of digital passports; reopening and expanding consular operations; fully reinstituting routine visa processing at U.S. embassies and consulates abroad; rescinding or reforming current travel restrictions at land ports of entry; rescinding or reforming current travel restrictions for international air travel; recapturing unused immigrant visas from prior years; creating exemptions to the current immigrant visa caps; proposals that would expand consular interview waivers for prospective immigrant and nonimmigrant visa applicants abroad; extending policies that will hold EB-5 visa petitions in abeyance while the EB-5 Regional Center Program is unauthorized; proposals that would provide relief for Afghan refugees; granting temporary protected status and special student relief to Ukrainian nationals; ensuring Ukrainian applicants for refugee/asylee status have access
Client expense: $18,660,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS), Executive Office of the President (EOP), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, State, Dept of (DOS), White House Office
2021 · fourth_quarter · Immigration
H.R. 6, American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 H.R. 78, Legal Workforce Act H.R. 161, Venezuela TPS Act of 2021 H.R. 206, Paperwork Reduction for Farmers and H-2A Modernization Act H.R. 401, Landscaping Workforce Act of 2021 H.R. 427, Moving H-2A to United States Department of Agriculture Act of 2021 H.R. 865, American Jobs First Act of 2021 H.R. 1037, Better Agriculture Resources Now (BARN) Act H.R. 1177/S. 348, U.S. Citizenship Act H.R. 1571, Dairy H-2A Eligibility Act H.R. 1603, Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2021 H.R. 2064, TPS and DED Protection Act of 2021 H.R. 2086, Agricultural Guest Worker Reform Initiative Act of 2021 H.R. 2255/S. 1024, Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act H.R. 2298/S. 71, Accountability Through Electronic Verification Act H.R. 2839/S. 1358, Bipartisan Border Solutions Act of 2021 H.R. 2901, EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2021 H.R. 3237, Emergency Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 H.R. 3385/S. 2083, HOPE for Afghan SIVs Act of 2021 H.R. 3513/S. 2032, Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2021 H.R. 3648, Equal Access to Green cards for Legal Employment (EAGLE) Act of 2021 H.R. 3897, H-2B Returning Worker Exception Act of 2021 H.R. 4578, Relief for Seasonal Businesses Act of 2021 H.R. 4856, Canadian Snowbird Visa Act H.R. 5498, Preserving Employment Visas Act H.R. 5887/S. 3134, Keep Food Local and Affordable Act of 2021 H.R. 6206, American Tech Workforce Act of 2021 S. 264, Dream Act of 2021 S. 306, Safe Environment from Countries Under Repression and Emergency (SECURE) Act S. 418, E-Verify Act S. 478, Higher Wages for American Workers Act of 2021 S. 495, Prioritizing Help to Businesses Act S. 831, EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2021 S. 959, Secure and Protect Act of 2021 S. 970, Backlog Elimination, Legal Immigration, and Employment Visa Enhancement (BELIEVE) Act S. 1810, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act S. 2443, A bill to expand the definition of H-2A nonimmigrant for purposes of the Immigration and Nationality Act to include aliens engaged in seafood processing, horticultural commodities, or the care of horses S. 2828, Preserving Employment Visas Act Nomination of Chris Magnus to be Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection Proposed Rule, Visas: Immigrant Visas; Department of State, (86 Fed. Reg. 51,643-51,644, September 16, 2021) Proposed Rule, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals; U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, (86 Fed. Reg. 53,736-53,816, September 28, 2021) Request for Public Input, Remote Document Examination for Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification; U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, (86 Fed. Reg. 59,183-59,185, October 26, 2021) Various issues relating to visa waiver program; H-1B Visa Program; H-1B registration rule; H-1B reform; H-2 Visa Program and temporary rule; H-2A Visa Program; H-4 rule; L-1 Visa Program; J-1 BridgeUSA program; EB-5 Visa Program; EB-5 regional center program; E-Verify program; nonimmigrant workers in temporary or seasonal nonagricultural employment; Customs and Border Protection staffing at U.S. ports of entry; border security; immigration policy and reforms; guest worker programs; legalization concepts; visa reform; customs trade facilitation and enforcement; Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program; extension of temporary protected status (TPS) designations for El Salvador, Honduras, and Haiti; administrative-regulatory efforts related to public charge, notice to appear, H-4 & OPT; delays in H-4 and L-2 status extensions and employment authorization documents (EADs); FY22 funding for Customs and Border Protection staffing; restarting routine visa processing during the COVID-19 pandemic; high-skilled immigration; lesser skilled immigration; temporary agricultural guest workers; temporary non-agricultural guest workers; optional practical training program; size and administration of employment-based immigrant visa categories; size and administration of family-based immigrant visa categories; size and administration of employment-based nonimmigrant visa categories; expansion of the use of the E-Verify system; I-9 employment verification; interior enforcement; temporary suspension of entry of nationals from certain countries; increased vetting of visa applicants; unfair immigration related employment practices; international travel; trusted traveler programs; biometric entry-exit; increasing the number of ICE officers, border patrol agents and Customs and Border Protection officers; aerial security enhancements; temporary DHS guidance for the I-9 employment verification process in the wake of COVID-19; State Department policy extending consular interview waiver eligibility; temporary United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) procedures to provide flexibility with regard to filing deadlines, and temporary USCIS guidelines providing flexibility to wet-ink signatures on USCIS forms and documents; United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) funding shortfalls and extending premium processing capability for the adjudication of various immigration forms; regulatory proposals that would restrict applicant eligibility for the H-1B program; regulatory proposals that would drastically change how prevailing wage levels are determined for the purposes of obtaining certain employment nonimmigrant and immigrant visas: proposals that would significantly change how cap-subject H-1B petitions will be chosen in the future; regulatory proposals that would change how the period of admission for student visa holders and exchange visa holders is determined; regulatory proposals that will temporarily raise the annual quota for H-2B visas; enhanced COVID-19 testing protocols for international air travel; creation/use of digital passports; reopening and expanding consular operations; fully reinstituting routine visa processing at U.S. embassies and consulates abroad; rescinding or reforming current travel restrictions at land ports of entry; rescinding or reforming current travel restrictions for international air travel; recapturing unused immigrant visas from prior years; creating exemptions to the current immigrant visa caps proposals that would expand consular interview waivers for prospective immigrant and nonimmigrant visa applicants abroad; extending policies that will hold EB-5 visa petitions in abeyance while the EB-5 Regional Center Program is unauthorized; proposals that would provide relief for Afghan refugees
Client expense: $19,560,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), Army, Dept of (Corps of Engineers), Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (BCIS), Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), Bureau of Reclamation, Commerce, Dept of (DOC), Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), Defense, Dept of (DOD), Education, Dept of, Energy, Dept of, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Executive Office of the President (EOP), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Federal Reserve System, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), General Services Administration (GSA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Interior, Dept of (DOI), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Intl Trade Administration (ITA), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Natl Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA), Natl Economic Council (NEC), Natl Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Natl Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST), Natl Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Natl Science Foundation (NSF), Natl Security Council (NSC), Natl Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Office of Science & Technology Policy (OSTP), Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Patent & Trademark Office (PTO), Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), SENATE, Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), Small Business Administration (SBA), State, Dept of (DOS), Transportation, Dept of (DOT), Treasury, Dept of, U.S. Copyright Office, U.S. Customs & Border Protection, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), White House Office
2021 · second_quarter · Labor Issues/Antitrust/Workplace
Legislative language regarding alternative dispute resolution in: S 505, S 673, HR 842, HR 848, HR 963, HR 1603, HR 1735, HR 1856, HR 2086, HR 2876, HR 2906
Client expense: $30,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE