Brooklyn, N.Y. – Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke released the following statement on the announcement that United States Citizenship and Immigration Services will temporarily suspend premium processing for H-1B Extension of Stay petitions from May 26, 2015 until July 27, 2015. The agency will continue to process H-1B Extension of Stay petitions filed prior to the suspension.

“I encourage anyone who intends to file an H-1B Extension of Stay petition to submit as soon as possible to avoid any delay in processing,” said Congresswoman Clarke. “If you have any questions about this temporary suspension, I encourage you to contact my district office or organizations that provide assistance with immigration, such as the Immigration Center at Medgar Evers College.”

USCIS will refund the premium processing fee if the petitioner filed an H-1B petition prior to May 26, 2015, using the premium processing service and USCIS did not act on the case within the 15-calendar-day period. Premium processing remains available for all other Form I-129 H-1B petitions.

Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke is a member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce in the House of Representatives, a member of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, and the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, as well as the Committee on Ethics and the Committee of Small Business. She represents many neighborhoods in central and southern Brooklyn, NY which include Brownsville, Crown Heights, East Flatbush, Flatbush, Gerritsen Beach, Madison, Midwood, parts of Park Slope and Flatlands, Prospect Heights, Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, Sheepshead Bay, and Windsor Terrace.