Latest news with #MayerBrown
India Today
5 days ago
- Business
- India Today
Freeze likely on US work visas, family visas for Green Card holders to stay open
While most US employment-based (EB) Green Card categories for Indian applicants remain frozen and are at risk of closing by the end of September, there is welcome news on the family immigration front. The F2A category, which allows lawful permanent residents (Green Card holders) to sponsor their spouses and unmarried children under 21, is still open for Indian Green Card holders in the last month of the fiscal year, according to the September 2025 US Visa Bulletin, issued by the US Department of bulletin indicates that EB categories, especially EB-2 and EB-3 for Indian applicants, are approaching their annual visa caps, which may lead to a freeze or retrogression of final action dates before the end of F2A category has advanced by two months, with the filing date shifting from April 1, 2025, to June 1, 2025. Indian Green Card holders can continue to submit Green Card applications for their spouses and minor children, as the dates for filing under the F2A category remain open through June 1, 2025, for all countries in the September 2025 Visa permits applicants to file their adjustment of status applications right away, even though actual approval will only occur once the Final Action Date – currently set at September 1, 2022 – becomes current and visa numbers are fiscal year 2025, the total number of family-based Green Cards available is capped at 2,26,000, while employment-based categories are limited to 1,50, country can receive up to 7% of the total – around 26,323 visas – and dependent territories are restricted to 2%.India remains classified as a high-demand country subject to per-country visa limits, along with China, Mexico, and the VISA APPLICANTS URGED TO ACT BEFORE SEPTEMBER 30 DEADLINEThe bulletin alerts Diversity Visa (DV)-2025 selectees that their eligibility ends on September 30, 2025, and warns that available visas may run out before that Bailey, a partner at Mayer Brown and a former senior official at the Department of Homeland Security, told Newsweek: "For the DV lottery, anyone who was part of that group really needs to submit their paperwork, attend the interview and obtain the visa before September 30th or they won't be eligible after October 1.""There is the benefit of knowing that on October 1, the new fiscal year will begin. And so fiscal year 2026 will have a new set of allocations. And so we will likely see significant movement in October, opening up options for employment, as well as for family," Bailey VISA BULLETIN MATTERSadvertisementThe monthly visa bulletin is a key resource for individuals and families managing the intricate and often time-consuming journey toward US permanent those pursuing a Green Card, keeping an eye on the visa bulletin is essential. It outlines when applicants may qualify to adjust their immigration status, usually determined by the priority date assigned when a sponsorship petition is filed by a family member or priority date is separate from the date a Green Card application is filed; instead, the visa bulletin dictates when applicants are eligible to proceed with the next steps in the permanent residency process.- Ends
Reuters
26-06-2025
- Business
- Reuters
: In 9th Circuit fight over import duty fraud, False Claims Act gets new life
June 26 (Reuters) - New tariffs have dominated headlines in recent months, but a key question has received far less attention: How does the U.S. government make sure importers — who collectively brought in $3.36 trillion worth of goods, opens new tab last year — actually pay the duties that they owe? While inspectors can't look at every shipment, one way to keep importers honest is the threat of liability under the False Claims Act, or FCA, for customs duty evasion. It's an increasingly active area of law, lawyers tell me, and likely to get even hotter as President Donald Trump's tariffs kick in and the amount of money at issue skyrockets. For the past 20 years, however, the ability of whistleblowers to bring cases alleging customs fraud has been under a cloud in the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, thanks to a 2004 decision that put the circuit's nine western states — and their busy ports — at odds with the rest of the country. Earlier this week, a 9th Circuit panel offered new clarity, rejecting the notion that the Court of International Trade has exclusive jurisdiction over such actions. The panel also rebuffed arguments that the FCA conflicts with a customs statute that gives the government another pathway to recover fraudulently unpaid duties — but more on that later. The decision, opens new tab 'opens the door for whistleblowers' to bring customs-related enforcement actions in federal district courts, said Mayer Brown partner Kelly Kramer, who represented pipe fitting maker Island Industries in bringing a so-called qui tam suit against competitor Sigma Corporation. 'It validates the whole concept.' In a statement, Sigma said it 'strongly maintains that it did not intentionally violate any law,' and that it 'will continue to seek appropriate relief in this lawsuit.' The case began in 2017 when Island sued Sigma (as well as five other importers who either settled or went bankrupt) in Los Angeles federal court under the FCA. Island alleged that between 2010 and 2018, Sigma imported welded outlets used in fire protection systems that were subject to antidumping duties of 182.9%. (Such duties may be imposed on products exported to the United States at less than their fair value.) According to Island, Sigma knowingly made false statements on customs forms to avoid paying the duties. As a qui tam relator, Island is entitled to pocket a share of any proceeds from the litigation. The U.S. Department of Justice, which declined comment, typically intervenes in several dozen FCA cases each year, assuming control of the litigation from the relator. That didn't happen here (though the feds weighed in on appeal as an amicus, opens new tab in favor of Island). Island and its lawyers from Mayer Brown helmed the case, taking it to trial in 2021. A jury found Sigma liable for violating the FCA and that it owed $8 million ($24 million after trebling), plus $2.5 million in legal fees. Sigma appealed the verdict to the 9th Circuit, and here's where things get a bit odd. After oral argument in 2023, the court asked for two rounds of supplemental briefing on issues that neither party had raised. The first question was whether the case belonged at the Court of International Trade, or CIT. The Manhattan-based court, which hears disputes involving international trade and customs laws, has taken on greater prominence of late after blocking most of Trump's tariffs in May, ruling that the president overstepped his authority. The decision is on hold pending appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. As for FCA suits, the 9th Circuit in United States v. Universal Fruits and Vegetables, opens new tab held in 2004 that litigation 'commenced' by the United States against an importer for evading customs duties must be brought in the CIT, concluding Congress gave it exclusive jurisdiction over such matters. Or not. After the 9th Circuit transferred the case, the CIT held that it did not in fact have jurisdiction because the FCA provides for damages and civil penalties, not the recovery of customs duties. But Universal Fruits is still on the books in the 9th Circuit. 'No matter how persuasive' the CIT's reasoning in declining jurisdiction, wrote Judge Michelle Friedland for the panel, 'we have no authority here to overrule an earlier decision of our court.' She was joined by Judge Mark Bennett. The third member of the panel, Judge Paul Watford, left the court after the case was argued but before the decision was issued. Rather than transferring the case like a jurisdictional hot potato to the CIT, the judges found a way around Universal Fruit. That is, the qui tam suit was not actually 'commenced' by the government because the United States didn't file the complaint – Island did. Yes, relators 'stand in the shoes' of the United States when they pursue FCA suits, the panel said, but 'that metaphor does not mean that a statute's reference to 'the United States' can be read to include FCA relators.' The judges also asked for briefing on whether a specific customs statute, section 1592, precludes actions under the FCA based on fraud in connection with customs duties. Sigma argued, opens new tab that the FCA cannot be used to upset this 'carefully crafted and comprehensive customs legal regime' that lays out a specific process for the United States to recover customs duties. The panel was not persuaded, writing that while section 1592 'undoubtedly overlaps with the FCA,' there was 'no irreconcilable conflict' between the two enforcement mechanisms. The end result, said Jonathan Tycko, who penned an amicus brief, opens new tab for The Anti-Fraud Coalition siding with Island, will be to bring more fraud schemes 'otherwise invisible' to customs officers to light. The qui tam provision, he added via email, 'provides a necessary incentive for those whistleblowers to come forward.'
Politico
25-06-2025
- Business
- Politico
Holocaust restitution group hires Mayer Brown
With Daniel Lippman JEWISH RESTITUTION GROUP LOBBYING ON LEGAL PROTECTIONS: A global organization advocating for the return of private property and compensation for Holocaust survivors and their families has enlisted Mayer Brown to lobby on a new bill aimed at helping Jewish families recover artwork looted by Nazis. — Marc Cohen, Charley Lanter and John Mirvish began working last week on behalf of the World Jewish Restitution Organization on supplementing the 2016 Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act, according to a disclosure filing. That law established a federal statute of limitations starting at the time of discovery of Nazi-confiscated artwork and called for restitution claims to be decided on the merits rather than procedural or technical grounds. — But critics have accused governments and institutions like museums of exploiting loopholes in those enhanced protections and of trying to run out the clock by stonewalling and employing various legal tactics to avoid turning over stolen art. — In May, Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and six other bipartisan lawmakers introduced legislation that would eliminate the 2026 expiration date for the HEAR Act and further strengthen its legal protections and access to recourse for victims. — 'To fully realize the HEAR Act's promise and uphold the United States' enduring commitment to Holocaust justice, WJRO calls on Congress to act decisively to strengthen the HEAR Act,' the group said in a statement last month. MORE NEW BUSINESS: TechNet, which represents more than 100 tech startups and Silicon Valley heavyweights including Apple, Google, Intuit, Meta and Amazon, has retained Farragut Partners to lobby on federal data privacy legislation, according to a newly filed disclosure. — The team of lobbyists working on the account includes former Rep. Ed Whitfield, a longtime member of the House Energy & Commerce Committee before his retirement in 2016, and Dylan Moore, a former deputy chief of staff to Whitfield's fellow E&C alum Larry Bucshon. — TechNet has just three other outside firms on retainer, all of which were brought on in the past three years: Avoq, the Smith-Free Group and Crossroads Strategies. — Meanwhile the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, which represents pharmaceutical middlemen, hired Continental Strategy this week, as PBMs' business practices face a multipronged threat from the Trump administration and GOP megabill. Tim Costa, a former chief of staff to Rep. Dan Meuser (R-Pa.), and Chris Miles, a former deputy chief of staff to former Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.), are working on the account. — The House and Senate versions of the reconciliation bill both contain provisions targeting PBM practices like spread pricing in Medicaid. President Donald Trump's April executive order called for tying U.S. drug prices to the cost of those medicines overseas and for establishing a mechanism for patients to purchase drugs directly from manufacturers, cutting out middlemen like pharmacy benefit managers. Happy Wednesday and welcome to PI. We hope you're managing to stay cool out there. Got any interesting reconciliation lobbying scoops? Drop me a line: Add me on Signal or email me at coprysko@ And be sure to follow me on X: @caitlinoprysko. ULTRA-PROCESSED FOOD FIGHT: 'Food industry groups frustrated over being left out of planning for the Make America Healthy Again report are angling to play a bigger role in shaping a looming Trump administration move that could have a major impact on nutrition policy,' per POLITICO's Rachel Shin. — At a recent White House meeting for ag groups to air their grievances with the MAHA report, the National Pork Producers Council, the Meat Institute and the International Dairy Foods Association 'highlighted their desire to be involved as the FDA prepares a definition for 'ultra-processed foods,'' which could ultimately 'shape which products are eligible for school lunch menus or available to buy with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.' — In particular, 'meat and dairy groups want officials to distinguish between nutrient-dense processed options and empty calorie foods, which would allow their products to remain accessible in federal programs.' — 'MAHA leaders have made ultra-processed foods — which often contain artificial ingredients like preservatives, emulsifiers and sweeteners — a primary focus of their movement to improve America's public health. An ultra-processed foods definition would likely serve as the foundation for future labelling efforts and regulations aiming to minimize consumption of those products, especially by children.' RE: THE RUMORS OF FEDSOC'S DEMISE: 'President Donald Trump said the Federalist Society gave him 'bad advice' on judicial nominations. He's still appointing their members to the federal bench anyway,' POLITICO's Hailey Fuchs and Daniel Barnes write. — The Senate Judiciary Committee this week will consider a slate of nominees 'for seats on the federal bench, including Emil Bove, Trump's No. 3 at the Justice Department and an outsider to some mainstream conservative legal circles.' — 'Bove's nomination has divided the right over whether Trump was eschewing the traditional conservative Federalist Society pipeline in favor of his own brand of loyalist nominees. But even amid a schism between Trump and the Federalist Society, the president's orbit has continued to embrace lawyers and jurists who have ties to the most influential conservative legal group.' — Case in point: Following today's hearing with Bove, Senate Judiciary 'will also vote Thursday on a different slate of judicial nominees, all five of whom are members of the Federalist Society, according to their disclosures and the Federalist Society website.' FLYING IN: Nearly 500 national construction and business leaders are in town this week for a fly-in organized by the Associated Builders and Contractors. The trade group heard from Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) at a breakfast during its summit and was slated to huddle with hundreds of offices across the Capitol, including member-level meetings with House Speaker Mike Johnson, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, House Education and Workforce Chair Tim Walberg (R-Mich.) and House Rules Committee Chair Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.). — ABC's members are pushing legislation that would scrap project labor agreements for federal construction contracts and will of course lobby for passage of the reconciliation bill in addition to workforce development incentives and visa reforms. — Executives from top fintechs were also in town today for a fly-in and CEO summit hosted by the Financial Technology Association. House Financial Services Chair French Hill (R-Ark.) addressed the summit earlier in the day before execs headed off to meetings on the Hill and with officials from OMB, the White House and Treasury, as well as acting FDIC Chair Travis Hill and acting OCC Comptroller Rodney Hood. They discussed fintech policy issues such as payments modernization, AI, open banking, bank-fintech partnerships, and access to capital for small businesses. LAYOFFS HIT EEI: 'The Edison Electric Institute laid off a number of employees Tuesday ahead of its new CEO taking charge,' E&E News' Tim Cama reports. EEI spokesperson Brian Reil said that the trade group has 'strategically restructured our team to position EEI for the future and to ensure that we can continue meeting the evolving needs of our customers,' but declined to reveal how many positions were being eliminated. — The staff cuts came a week before Drew Maloney moves over from his post atop the American Investment Council to serve as the next president and CEO of the investor-owned utilities group. They cap off a turbulent couple of years for EEI that saw Dan Brouilette, the former Trump Energy secretary who took over following the retirement of longtime EEI head Tom Kuhn, ousted after less than a year on the job. SPOTTED at Cafe Fiorello for a fundraiser that raised six figures for Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), per a tipster: Lyndon Boozer and DeAna Dow of Capitol Counsel, Fred Humphries of Microsoft, Steve Hartell of Amazon, Laurie Knight of the National Beer Wholesalers Association, James Assey of NCTA, Mignon Clyburn of MLC Strategies, Shashrina Thomas of Reynolds American, Ashley Hayes of Charter Communications, Katreice Banks of AT&T, Lance Mangum of FedEx, Jamie Gillespie of Fox Corp., Erik Huey of Platinum Advisors, Gerry Harrington of Capitol City Group, Larry Duncan of Monument Advocacy, Yebbie Watkins of Clyburn's office and G.K. Butterfield of McGuireWoods. Jobs report — Robert Shapiro is now a partner in Dechert's financial services practice group. He was previously assistant chief counsel in the division of investment management at the SEC. — Rachel Thomas is now senior director of corporate communications at Flagship Pioneering. She most recently was director of strategic communications for implementation in the Biden White House. — Keighle Joyce is joining Morrison Foerster as of counsel in the congressional investigations group. She most recently was senior counsel in the Justice Department's Office of Legislative Affairs, and is a House Homeland Security alum. — Ellen Hamilton will be executive director for the California Democratic delegation. She previously was chief of staff for Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.). — Na'ilah Amaru is now senior director of mobilization and engagement at the League of Women Voters. She was previously pursuing a PhD in political science at the CUNY Graduate Center. — Erica Goldman is joining Prologue as head of insights and analysis. She was most recently managing director and insights lead at Purple Strategies. — Oliver McPherson-Smith is now the America First Policy Institute's vice chair for energy and environment. He was previously the White House's National Energy Dominance Council executive director (he left the position after less than a month; click here to read more). — Alan Davidson is now head of government affairs at Databricks, a data intelligence platform. He most recently served as assistant secretary of commerce and administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and is a Mozilla alum. — John Mitchell is now senior manager of public policy at Workday, leading its federal advocacy on AI and data privacy. He was previously a director at the Consumer Technology Association. — The Berkman Klein Center has a new round of hires: Alex Pascal is now its executive director by way of the White House Domestic Policy Council, where he co-led policy initiatives on AI and social media platforms. Meg Marco is being permanently appointed as senior director of BKC's Applied Social Media Lab. She's a WIRED, ProPublica and Wall Street Journal alum. New Joint Fundraisers TEAM BRAUN (Sen. Mike Braun, Freedom & Opportunity Fund, Indiana Republican State Committee, Inc., Hoosiers for Opportunity Prosperity and Enterprise Victory Fund) New PACs POWERBACK (PAC)Win Back Our Country PAC (Hybrid PAC) New Lobbying REGISTRATIONS Alston & Bird LLP: Claritev Ballard Partners: Banco Btg Pactual S.A. - Cayman Branch Ballard Partners: Unet Production, LLC Farragut Partners LLP: Fullscript Farragut Partners LLP: Technet The Voice Of Innovation Economy Grayrobinson Pa: Texas Health Care Association K&L Gates, LLP: Highland Copper Company Inc. Mayer Brown LLP: World Jewish Restitution Organization Mission Strategies LLC (Energy): Evergrow Inc. Vnf Solutions, LLC: American Water Works Association Vnf Solutions, LLC: Cherry Street Energy New Lobbying Terminations National American Indian Housing Council: National American Indian Housing Council The Picard Group, LLC: Esperanza Land, LLC
Economic Times
18-06-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
US Senate passes stablecoin bill in milestone for crypto industry
The US Senate on Tuesday passed a bill to create a regulatory framework for U.S.-dollar-pegged cryptocurrency tokens known as stablecoins, in a watershed moment for the digital asset industry. The bill, dubbed the GENIUS Act, received bipartisan support, with several Democrats joining most Republicans to back the proposed federal rules. It passed 68-30. The House of Representatives, which is controlled by Republicans, needs to pass its version of the bill before it heads to President Donald Trump's desk for approval. "It is a major milestone," said Andrew Olmem, a managing partner at law firm Mayer Brown and the former deputy director of the National Economic Council during Trump's first term. "It establishes, for the first time, a regulatory regime for stablecoins, a rapidly developing financial product and industry." Stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency designed to maintain a constant value, usually a 1:1 dollar peg, are commonly used by crypto traders to move funds between tokens. Their use has grown rapidly in recent years, and proponents say that they could be used to send payments instantly. If signed into law, the stablecoin bill would require tokens to be backed by liquid assets - such as U.S. dollars and short-term Treasury bills - and for issuers to publicly disclose the composition of their reserves on a monthly basis. The crypto industry has long pushed for lawmakers to pass legislation creating rules for digital assets, arguing that a clear framework could enable stablecoins to become more widely used. The sector spent more than $119 million backing pro-crypto congressional candidates in last year's elections and had tried to paint the issue as bipartisan. The House of Representatives passed a stablecoin bill last year but the Senate - in which Democrats held the majority at the time - did not take that bill up, and it died. Trump has sought to broadly overhaul U.S. cryptocurrency policies after courting cash from the industry during his presidential campaign. Bo Hines, who leads Trump's Council of Advisers on Digital Assets, has said the White House wants a stablecoin bill passed before August. Tensions on Capitol Hill over Trump's various crypto ventures at one point threatened to derail the digital asset sector's hope of legislation this year as Democrats have grown increasingly frustrated with Trump and his family members promoting their personal crypto projects. "In advancing these bills, lawmakers forfeited their opportunity to confront Trump's crypto grift - the largest, most flagrant corruption in presidential history," said Bartlett Naylor, financial policy advocate for Public Citizen, a consumer rights advocacy group. Trump's crypto ventures include a meme coin called $TRUMP, launched in January, and a business called World Liberty Financial, a crypto company owned partly by the president. The White House has said there are no conflicts of interest present for Trump and that his assets are in a trust managed by his children. Other Democrats expressed concern that the bill would not prevent big tech companies from issuing their own private stablecoins, and argued that legislation needed stronger anti-money laundering protections and prohibitions on foreign stablecoin issuers. "A bill that turbocharges the stablecoin market, while facilitating the president's corruption and undermining national security, financial stability, and consumer protection is worse than no bill at all," said Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat, in remarks on the Senate floor in May. The bill could face further changes in the House of Representatives. In a statement, the Conference of State Bank Supervisors called for "critical changes" to mitigate financial stability risks. "CSBS remains concerned with the dramatic and unsupported expansion of the authority of uninsured banks to conduct money transmission or custody activities nationwide without the approval or oversight of host state supervisors," said Brandon Milhorn, president and CEO of the Conference of State Bank Supervisors, in a statement.
The Hindu
18-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
U.S. Senate passes stablecoin bill in milestone for crypto industry
The U.S. Senate on Tuesday passed a bill to create a regulatory framework for U.S.-dollar-pegged cryptocurrency tokens known as stablecoins, in a watershed moment for the digital asset industry. The bill, dubbed the GENIUS Act, received bipartisan support, with several Democrats joining most Republicans to back the proposed federal rules. It passed 68-30. The House of Representatives, which is controlled by Republicans, needs to pass its version of the bill before it heads to President Donald Trump's desk for approval. "It is a major milestone," said Andrew Olmem, a managing partner at law firm Mayer Brown and the former deputy director of the National Economic Council during Trump's first term. "It establishes, for the first time, a regulatory regime for stablecoins, a rapidly developing financial product and industry." Stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency designed to maintain a constant value, usually a 1:1 dollar peg, are commonly used by crypto traders to move funds between tokens. Their use has grown rapidly in recent years, and proponents say that they could be used to send payments instantly. If signed into law, the stablecoin bill would require tokens to be backed by liquid assets, such as U.S. dollars and short-term Treasury bills, and for issuers to publicly disclose the composition of their reserves on a monthly basis. The crypto industry has long pushed for lawmakers to pass legislation creating rules for digital assets, arguing that a clear framework could enable stablecoins to become more widely used. The sector spent more than $119 million backing pro-crypto congressional candidates in last year's elections and had tried to paint the issue as bipartisan. The House of Representatives passed a stablecoin bill last year but the Senate, in which Democrats held the majority at the time, did not take that bill up, and it died. Trump has sought to broadly overhaul U.S. cryptocurrency policies after courting cash from the industry during his presidential campaign. Bo Hines, who leads Trump's Council of Advisers on Digital Assets, has said the White House wants a stablecoin bill passed before August. Tensions on Capitol Hill over Trump's various crypto ventures at one point threatened to derail the digital asset sector's hope of legislation this year as Democrats have grown increasingly frustrated with Trump and his family members promoting their personal crypto projects. 'In advancing these bills, lawmakers forfeited their opportunity to confront Trump's crypto grift – the largest, most flagrant corruption in presidential history,' said Bartlett Naylor, financial policy advocate for Public Citizen, a consumer rights advocacy group. Trump's crypto ventures include a meme coin called $TRUMP, launched in January, and a business called World Liberty Financial, a crypto company owned partly by the president. The White House has said there are no conflicts of interest present for Trump and that his assets are in a trust managed by his children. Other Democrats expressed concern that the bill would not prevent big tech companies from issuing their own private stablecoins, and argued that legislation needed stronger anti-money laundering protections and prohibitions on foreign stablecoin issuers. "A bill that turbocharges the stablecoin market, while facilitating the president's corruption and undermining national security, financial stability, and consumer protection is worse than no bill at all," said Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat, in remarks on the Senate floor in May. The bill could face further changes in the House of Representatives. In a statement, the Conference of State Bank Supervisors called for 'critical changes' to mitigate financial stability risks. 'CSBS remains concerned with the dramatic and unsupported expansion of the authority of uninsured banks to conduct money transmission or custody activities nationwide without the approval or oversight of host state supervisors,' said Brandon Milhorn, president and CEO of the Conference of State Bank Supervisors, in a statement.
