Changes and Trends in EB-5 Investment Immigration
Is it the End of the EB-5 World as We Know it? How to Prepare for Potential Changes
In July of this year, we wrote about a fraud action involving the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program (“EB-5 Program” or “Program”) (here). Under the EB-5 Program, investors are eligible for permanent residency status in the U.S....more
The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program is one that attracts its fair share of attention, not all of it good, and too much of it from organizations named with that part of the alphabet — SEC and DOJ — that can strike fear in the...more
IIUSA hosted a very targeted annual conference in Washington, D.C., to discuss the status of the EB-5 industry and focused on various specific matters of interest to the group....more
The chances of a stand-alone EB-5 bill gaining consensus with lawmakers on Capitol Hill are low. With the GOP failing to repeal the Affordable Care Act, lawmakers may be spending time readjusting priorities in unexpected ways...more
Earlier this year we wrote about the Justice Department’s continuing efforts to combat fraud in the EB-5 immigrant visa program, with the filing of several federal lawsuits seeking the forfeiture of nine real properties...more
Today marks just over a month since Donald Trump was elected as the next President of the United States. As each cabinet appointment is announced, we get more clues to help us predict which direction the Trump...more
We previously warned that some individuals involved with arranging EB-5 investments may be required to register as broker-dealers (see "Immigrant Investor Program Raises SEC Broker Registration Issues" in the Summer 2014...more
On January 11, the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) announced its examination priorities for this year. Cybersecurity, municipal advisors and the protection...more
Private placement offerings are an increasingly active part of the securities business. One especially complicated and emerging area of private placements is the EB-5 Investor Visa Regional Center Program. Under the current...more
The EB-5 program is supposed to provide a path to a permanent green card. The program was designed to create that path for foreign national who invest specified sums in the U.S. that create jobs – a win win for everyone....more
On Monday July 6, 2015, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") charged Luca International Group, LLC, a San Francisco area oil and gas company, and its affiliated companies ("Luca") and certain of its executives,...more
China’s wealthy investors are known for seeking secure havens for their money overseas. In addition to being considered a secure environment for their money, the US offers the EB-5 program providing the investor and his or...more
As participation in the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) Immigrant Investor Program or “EB-5 program” grows, regulatory interest is showing a commensurate uptick. On November 20, 2013, Associate Director Stephen...more
The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program (the “EB-5 Program”) administered by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) has been a significant source of capital for various real estate and other development projects...more
Announcements last week by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and U.S. Citizenship Immigration Services (USCIS) indicate that investments made through the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program (the EB-5 Program) will be...more
We frequently speak with our clients about whether their participation in an EB-5 program requires registration as a broker-dealer. Joseph Furey, Assistant Chief Counsel at the SEC Division of Trading and Markets, addressed...more
In the first SEC enforcement action of its kind, the SEC announced on February 8, 2013 that it had filed civil charges against, and received an emergency order to freeze assets of, the Intercontinental Regional Center Trust...more
It’s not often that the securities enforcement and immigration law worlds collide, but I suppose it occasionally happens....more