Our Chatting with Charlie series continues with WR Immigration Director of Visa Consulting Charlie Oppenheim, Partners Dan Maranci and Kimberley Best Robidoux, and Senior Attorney Laura Bloniarz. They give the latest insights to the October Visa Bulletin and information regarding the New I-9 process. Watch below!
Authored by Joseph Barnett and Bernard Wolfsdorf, on behalf of AILA EB-5 Committee There has been a lot of recent interest from prospective immigrant investors in direct EB-5, including “pooled direct” investments. This is partially because the more popular EB-5 Regional Center program is waiting for reauthorization, and the (likely temporary) minimum investment requirement presently at $500,000 for job creation in a Targeted Employment Area (“TEA”).[1] As a result, the AILA EB-5 Committee would like to share their thoughts on specific issues related to the representation of direct EB-5 clients, as a high percentage of direct EB-5 cases appear to run into difficulties. Limited Scope of Representation. As lawyers, we can rely on outside professionals (such as accountants and business advisors) to provide advice in areas we are not competent to handle. Being a good immigration lawyer and advising clients regarding investor visas does not require that every lawyer handling these cases must be competent in the tax, business, and accounting work that is a critical part of the EB-5 framework. It is correct to state that EB-5 requires a team including the immigration lawyers, corporate lawyers, franchise lawyers, securities lawyer, business plan writer, accountant, banker, and the list goes […]
The U.S. House of Representatives recently joined many states by voting to decriminalize marijuana via legislation that would remove cannabis from the list of scheduled substances under the Controlled Substances Act and eliminate criminal penalties for individuals who manufacture, distribute, or possess marijuana. The “Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act” would also expunge nonviolent federal marijuana convictions, among other things. Bill sponsor Jerry Nadler (D-NY) said that federal action on the issue “would follow the growing recognition in the states that the status quo is unacceptable.” Other House Democrats also are saying that decriminalization is long overdue. Some see it as a racial justice issue, such as Reps. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), and Jim Clyburn (D-SC). The latter noted that people of color are four times more likely to be arrested for cannabis possession than white people and are more likely to receive longer and harsher sentences. Advocates for decriminalization aren’t celebrating yet, however, since the bill is not likely to pass the current Senate. Republicans have warned about the early release of criminals and a potential uptick in driver impairment. Future control of the Senate remains unclear; prospects for a similar bill in the next […]
