U.S. Immigration and Nationality Law
In case you missed it, the USCIS Ombudsman Annual Report, 2017, reveals some astounding information about EB-5 China backlogs: recent applicants may face waits of 10 years or longer to immigrate:
Continue reading “USCIS Ombudsman: China EB-5 Backlog May Be 10 Years”
As has been widely reported, Kushner Companies recently put on a roadshow to market to Chinese investors a New Jersey real estate project called One Journal Square. The investments are structured such that investors may qualify for green cards through the EB-5 program, which requires a minimum $500,000 investment resulting in the creation of at least 10 U.S. jobs.
Initial reporting about the roadshow led the Kushner Companies to apologize for boasting about their ties to White House adviser Jared Kushner during the roadshow. “In a sector where investors are wary of failing projects and policy changes that would jeopardize their visas,” writes Alexandra Harney for Reuters, such boasts are meant to “reassure potential investors their EB-5 projects will be successful.”
Reuters and the New York Times are now reporting that Kushner Companies’ activities may have crossed the line from boasting to misrepresentation. This perhaps makes the company vulnerable to charges of securities fraud by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Specifically, advertisements by the company’s marketing agent in China contain multiple misrepresentations about the safety of the investment.
On February 2, the Senate Judiciary Committee had a hearing on “The Failures and Future of the EB-5 Regional Center Program: Can it be Fixed?” Continue reading “Senate Hearing on the EB-5 Regional Center Program (Video)”
The maximum level of immigrant visa numbers which may be made available to China EB-5 applicants during fiscal year 2014 has been reached, effective August 23, 2014. This according to Charles Oppenheim, Chief of the Immigrant Visa Control and Reporting Division at the U.S. Department of State. Continue reading “Waiting List to Be Established for China EB-5s (Update)”
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services have jointly issued an Investor Alert to warn individual investors about fraudulent investment scams that exploit the Immigrant Investor Program, also known as “EB-5”: Continue reading “SEC/USCIS Alert: Investment Scams Exploit EB-5 Visa Investors”
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged another EB-5 regional center with fraud. The USA Now LLC regional center, based in Texas, and allegedly stole money from investors seeking EB-5 visas. Continue reading “SEC Charges USA Now LLC Regional Center with Fraud Against EB-5 Visa Investors”
A federal judge has ordered that Anshoo Sethi and his company, A Chicago Convention Center LLC, return $147 million to Chinese investors. Continue reading “Judge Orders $147 Million Returned from Chicago Regional Center to Chinese EB-5 Visa Investors”
How would comprehensive immigration reform (CIR) impact Chinese investors seeking EB-5 visas?
Here’s what’s in the Senate bill introduced by the bipartisan “Gang of 8”, called the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013 (BSEOIMA): Continue reading “Comprehensive Immigration Reform: EB-5 Proposals”
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) last week charged that Anshoo R. Sethi fraudulently sold more than $145 million in securities and collected $11 million in administrative fees from more than 250 investors, primarily from China. Sethi is alleged to have duped investors into believing that by purchasing interests in a company known as “a Chicago Convention Center” (ACCC), they would be financing construction of a hotel and conference center near Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. The investment was marketed as a way for the investors to get green cards through the EB-5 immigrant investor program. Continue reading “SEC Says Chicago Convention Center EB-5 Project Fraudulently Sold $145 Million in Shares to Chinese Investors”
The U.S. State Department previously predicted, in December 2012, that Chinese EB-5 visa applicants may soon be subject to a wait list. Now, in its March 2013 Visa Bulletin, the State Department is changing its prediction–a wait list is not likely: Continue reading “Update on Predictions for the EB-5 China Wait List”
This article briefly describes each employment-based permanent residence category under U.S. immigration law. Continue reading “U.S.: Quick Reference to Employment-Based Immigrant Visas”