USCIS resumes H-1B premium processing for certain cap-exempt petitions

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will immediately resume premium processing for certain cap-exempt H-1B petitions effective.

The H-1B visa has an annual cap of 65,000 visas each fiscal year. Additionally, there is an annual “master’s cap” of 20,000 petitions filed for beneficiaries with a U.S. master’s degree or higher.

A statement from the USCIS said that, “Premium processing will resume for petitions that may be exempt from the cap if the H-1B petitioner is:

* An institution of higher education;

* A nonprofit related to or affiliated with an institution of higher education; or

* A nonprofit research or governmental research organization.”

Premium processing will also resume for petitions that may also be exempt if the beneficiary will be employed at a qualifying cap-exempt institution, organization or entity.

According to the statement, “Starting Monday, July 24, those cap-exempt petitioners who are eligible for premium processing can file Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service for Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker. Form I-907 can be filed together with an H-1B petition or separately for a pending H-1B petition.

“USCIS previously announced that premium processing resumed on June 26 for H-1B petitions filed on behalf of physicians under the Conrad 30 waiver program as well as interested government agency waivers,” it said.

It added that “USCIS plans to resume premium processing of other H-1B petitions as workloads permit. USCIS will make additional announcements with specific details related to when we will begin accepting premium processing for those petitions. Until then, premium processing remains temporarily suspended for all other H-1B petitions. USCIS will reject any Form I-907 filed for those petitions, and if the petitioner submitted one check combining the Form I-907 and Form I-129 fees, USCIS will have to reject both forms.”

Gov. Kasich appoints six to New African Immigrants Commission

Ibrahim Sow

Ohio State Governor John R. Kasich has appointed six, Comfort A. Cole-Keneh, Ibrahima Sow, Eugenie Kirenga, Rosaire Ifedi, Abass M. Bangura and Tariq Mohamed to the New African Immigrants Commission. 

The New African Immigrants Commission was established in 2008 with effect from 2009 to advocate for the development and implementation of policies and programs to address the needs of the State's sub-Saharan African population. The appointed members of the commission will be the first to serve since the establishment.

Eugenie Kirenga

   

A statement from the Governor’s media office said that “Comfort A. Cole-Kenneh of Gahanna (Franklin Co.), Ibrahima Sow of Reynoldsburg, (Franklin Co.), and Eugenie Kirenga of Kettering (Greene Co.), have been appointed to the New African Immigrants Commission for terms beginning July 21, 2017, and ending October 7, 2017.

“Rosaire Ifedi of Columbus (Franklin Co.), Abass M. Bangura of Reynoldsburg, (Franklin Co.), and Tariq Mohamed of New Albany (Franklin Co.), have been appointed to the New African Immigrants Commission for terms beginning July 21, 2017, and ending October 7, 2018,” it added.

Comfort Cole-Keneh

Rosaire Ifedi

Sponsors of the bill in the 2007/2008 127^th General Assembly Regular Session were Representatives Stewart, D. and McGregor, J and Cosponsors were Representatives Brown, Evans, Flowers, Foley, Heard, Skindell, Strahorn, Yates,  and Yuko.

The commission is expected to among others: “Gather and disseminate information and conduct hearings, conferences, investigations, and special studies on problems and programs concerning sub-Saharan African people; Secure appropriate recognition of the accomplishments and contributions of sub-Saharan African people to this state

Tariq Mohamed

Abass Bangura

 It will also serve to “Stimulate public awareness of the problems of sub-Saharan African people by conducting a program of public education; Develop, coordinate, and assist other public and private organizations that serve sub-Saharan African people, including the conducting of training programs for community leadership and service project staff.”

Ohio introduces PDSS for new drivers

Ohio is leading the country as the first state to begin piloting portable driver simulator systems (PDSS) as safety screeners and skill diagnostics prior to road tests.

A statement from the Bureau of Motor Vehicle, BMV said that “the driver simulators will provide a pretest assessment at the BMV Driver Examination stations by testing applicants on their ability to appropriately respond to routine traffic stops, traffic lights, emergency vehicles, stop signs, railroad crossing, cross walks and school zones. 

As part of the Drive Toward a Safer Ohio initiative, the Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS) has partnered with the Children’s’ Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the Ohio State University (OSU) to develop a PDSS to assess driving skills of new drivers before they test for their permanent Ohio driver license.

It noted that “the assessment score will not affect the ability to obtain a driver’s license, but will only serve as diagnostic data for the BMV and CHOP during the pilot program.”

“A first time driver can cause injury to themselves, driver examiners, and other motorists, along with property damage to their vehicles and other vehicles,” said Don Petit, Registrar of the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV).

 “It is the intent to use these simulators as safety screeners emulating ‘real driving’ conditions for first time driver testers before they proceed with the maneuverability and skill testing.”

The software is designed so that each driving scenario is randomized to avoid predicting the course layout or the order of the assessment criteria.

“The core of the software is over two decades of CHOP research that resulted in a scientifically validated drive that can assess driver performance in situations known to be critical to safety,” says Dr. Flaura Winston, MD, PhD, Scientific Director of CHOP’s Center for Injury Research and Prevention and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Distinguished Chair in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania.

“What the Ohio customer will experience is the result of a dedicated collaboration to translate this science to the real world testing environment that included scientists, technologists and subject matter experts from CHOP, OSU, Diagnostic Driving, Inc. ODPS. This process produced a world-class, yet practical and tangible service for Ohio that we hope will help them realize safer roads. We are honored and excited to be part of this ground-breaking pilot.”

A pilot program has been implemented at the BMV driver examination station located at 990 Morse Road, Columbus, Ohio.  The PDSS will also be available for public demonstration and use at the ODPS booth at the Ohio State Fair running from July 26 to August 6, 2017.

Liberians in Columbus mark 170th Independence Day July 21/22

Coming Events

Liberians in Columbus mark 170^th Independence Day July 21/22

Liberians in Columbus, Ohio will celebrate Liberia’s 170^th Independence Day (July 26, 2017) with two days of events on Friday, July 21 and Saturday, July 22.

The President of Liberians in Columbus, Inc., Comfort Cole-Kenneh told the NewAmericans that “an assembly of Liberians resident in Columbus, Ohio, and its environs will be held at the Ohio State House, 1 Capitol Square (Ohio State House), Columbus, Ohio, 43215 on Friday, July 21st, 2017, at 11:00 o’clock a.m. This will be followed by a hoisting of the Liberian flag on the west end of the State House.”

She added that “beginning at 4:00 p.m. a family friendly Liberian Field Day will be celebrated at Nafzger Park, 2845 Noe Bixby (Refugee) Road, Columbus, Ohio 43232. The event will future a soccer match, children games, live musical entertainment and some delicious Liberian dishes.

“On Saturday, July 22nd 2017 the ball will be held at 610 Lancaster Avenue, Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068 at 8pm. Red carpet starts at 7pm. Patron tickets are $50.00 per person,” she added.

Annual All Nigerian Picnic holds July 29

The Annual All Nigerian Picnic in Columbus, Ohio will hold on Saturday, July 29 at the CICC, 4254 Cleveland Avenue, Columbus OH 43224 from 11am to 6pm.

A statement from the Nigerians in Diaspora Ohio, NIDO said, “There will be music, food, networking and other attractions. It is free participation and friends are invited.”