In March and April, parks and gardens bloom with delicate pink and white cherry blossoms, signaling the start of spring. The tradition of celebrating the beautiful flowering trees originated in Japan, and is known as hanami, which translates to “flower viewing.” The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is home to 26 different varieties of flowering cherry trees, or sakura, and the first flowers are blooming in the gardens. Walking through the quiet park, flashes of pink and white are bright in the sunlight, and tiny petals rain down when the wind blows. It’s a beautiful way to celebrate the end of winter and welcome the warm, sunny days that are around the corner.
Cherry Blossom Season
Electronic Registration for FY 2023 H-1B Cap is Complete
On March 29, 2022, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) announced that the Service had received enough initial electronic registrations for the fiscal year 2023 (“FY23”) H-1B cap, including the advanced degree exemption (master’s cap). Consequently, the Service has notified all prospective petitioners whose registrations were randomly selected that they are eligible to file cap-subject H-1B petitions for the named beneficiary in the selected registration.
Read moreUSCIS Extends Flexibility for Responding to Agency Requests
In response to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, US Citizenship & Immigration Services (“USCIS”) is once again extending the flexibilities it originally announced two years ago, on March 30, 2020. USCIS’ 60-day deadline extension policy for responses to various agency actions has been extended through July 25, 2022, to assist applicants, petitioners, and requestors who are responding to:
• Requests for Evidence;
• Continuations to Request Evidence (N-14);
• Notices of Intent to Deny;
• Notices of Intent to Revoke;
• Notices of Intent to Rescind;
• Notices of Intent to Terminate regional centers; and
• Motions to Reopen an N-400 Pursuant to 8 CFR 335.5, Receipt of Derogatory Information After Grant.
Read moreHuman Displacement Constantly Tests the World and its Infrastructure
Bethesda Fountain in Central Park
Manhattan’s largest park is also home to one of the largest fountains in New York. Bethesda Fountain, named for a Bible passage that describes a pool with healing waters thanks to an angel’s blessing, was created to commemorate the opening of the Croton Aqueduct in 1842. The aqueduct brought clean, fresh water to the city for the first time, providing its own ‘healing waters’ to New Yorkers who had previously suffered through fires and disease due to an inadequate and contaminated water supply. For this reason, the statue at the top of the fountain is known as the Angel of the Waters. The eight-foot-tall neoclassical bronze angel was designed by American sculptor Emma Stebbins, the first woman to receive a commission for a major work of art in New York City. Modeled after Stebbins’ partner, actress Charlotte Cushman, the angel and her fountain have become an iconic symbol of the city.
A Lie Disguised as Protection
Irish Arts Center Book Day
There’s no better way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day than with free books! Across New York City, volunteers spent the holiday giving away books by Irish and Irish diaspora authors as part of the 10th Annual Irish Arts Center Book Day. This year the event also featured books by Jewish authors, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the publication of James Joyce’s modernist masterpiece Ulysses, and in tribute to the book’s protagonist, Leopold Bloom. Despite the rainy day, commuters and pedestrians in every borough paused to browse the book tables and talk about literature with the volunteers. By the end of the day, the Irish Arts Center gave out thousands of free books to New Yorkers, “using the power of storytelling to bring people of all backgrounds together.”
DHS Designates Afghanistan for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 Months
On March 16, 2022, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) announced the designation of Afghanistan for temporary protected status (“TPS”) for eighteen months to help protect Afghan nationals in the United States from returning to unsafe conditions. Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas noted “TPS will also provide additional protections and assurances to trusted partners and vulnerable Afghans who supported the U.S. military, diplomatic, and humanitarian missions in Afghanistan over the last 20 years.” TPS designation is available to nationals of Afghanistan who are already residing in the United States as of March 15, 2022, and meet all other requirements, including undergoing security and background checks.
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