WASHINGTON – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), marking a significant milestone in its efforts to provide relief to victims of crimes, has for the second straight year approved 10,000 petitions for U nonimmigrant status, also referred to as the U-visa.

On an annual basis, 10,000 U-visas are set aside for victims of crime who have suffered substantial mental or physical abuse and are willing to help law enforcement authorities investigate or prosecute crime.

“Providing immigration protection to victims of crime and their families while aiding law enforcement efforts to bring criminals to justice is of the utmost importance to the Agency and the public we serve,” said USCIS Director Alejandro Mayorkas.

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Posted on September 19, 2011 | Category: Immigration News

Note: The Sept. 23 special naturalization ceremony originally scheduled to take place at the Washington Monument has been moved to the Department of the Interior’s Sidney R. Yates Auditorium due to inclement weather.

WASHINGTON – In recognition of Constitution Day and Citizenship Day on Sept. 17, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will welcome more than 27,000 new American citizens during 285 naturalization ceremonies held across the country and around the world during the week of Sept. 15. As part of this celebration, USCIS is again partnering with the National Park Service (NPS) to hold naturalization ceremonies at 14 national park sites across the country.

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Posted on September 16, 2011 | Category: Immigration News