Originally published Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at 12:00 AM
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Religious-visa policy struck down
A federal judge in Seattle has struck down a long-standing government policy that made it tougher for religious workers from other countries to remain in the United States.
Seattle
A federal judge in Seattle has struck down a long-standing government policy that made it tougher for religious workers from other countries to remain in the United States.
Chief U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik wrote in an order issued Tuesday that it was at odds with the intent of Congress.
Under the Department of Homeland Security's policy, religious workers in the U.S. on a temporary visa weren't allowed to file for permanent-resident status until a visa petition by their employer was approved.
The problem was that it often took a long time for the government to approve the visa petitions — and by the time it did, the religious workers already had to leave the country because their temporary visas were up.
Workers in other categories, such as aerospace and technology, can file for permanent residency before, not after, their employers' visa petition is approved.
Copyright © 2009 The Seattle Times Company
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