US Senate confirms Menendez as federal judge in Minnesota
National News
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kate M. Menendez has been confirmed by the Senate to fill Minnesota’s federal court vacancy, the state’s two senators announced over the weekend.
Menendez was nominated by President Joe Biden in September. She appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee in early November to take questions and talk about her five-year stint as a magistrate judge, the Star Tribune reported.
Menendez previously served as a federal public defender for more than 18 years. Her experience includes several adjunct law professor roles, including at the University of Minnesota, Hamline University and St. Thomas University.
Democratic Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith said in a joint statement Saturday that Menendez was recommended by the judicial selection committee, comprised of prominent members of Minnesota’s legal community.
“Judge Menendez has dedicated her career to making our state a more just place,” Klobuchar said.
Related listings
-
Supreme Court rejects appeal over press access in Wisconsin
National News 12/13/2021The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from a conservative think tank over Gov. Tony Evers’ decision to exclude the group’s writers from press briefings. The justices acted without comment Monday, leaving in place lower court rulings th...
-
Italy frees man convicted of 2007 murder of Meredith Kercher
National News 11/28/2021The only person convicted in the 2007 murder of British student Meredith Kercher was freed Tuesday after serving most of his 16-year prison sentence, his lawyer said. Attorney Fabrizio Ballarini said Rudy Guede’s planned Jan. 4 release had been...
-
New Mexico Supreme court mediates clash on pandemic aid
National News 11/20/2021New Mexico’s Supreme Court is considering whether state legislators should have a greater say in the spending more than $1 billion in federal pandemic aid. Arguments in the case were scheduled for Wednesday morning at the five-seat high court. ...
USCIS Issues Clarifying Guidance on NAFTA TN Status Eligibility for Economists
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that it is clarifying policy guidance (PDF, 71 KB) on the specific work activities its officers should consider when determining whether an individual qualifies for TN nonimmigrant status as an economist.
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) TN nonimmigrant status allows qualified Canadian and Mexican citizens to temporarily enter the U.S. to engage in specific professional activities, including the occupation of economist. The agreement, however, does not define the term economist, resulting in inconsistent decisions on whether certain analysts and financial professionals qualify for TN status as economists.
TN nonimmigrant status is intended to allow a limited number of professionals and specialists to work temporarily in certain specifically identified occupations in the United States. This updated guidance provides USCIS officers with a specific definition of one such category – economists – allowing them to adjudicate applications in a way that complies with the intent of the agreement. This policy update clarifies that professional economists requesting TN status must engage primarily in activities consistent with the profession of an economist. Individuals who work primarily in other occupations related to the field of economics — such as financial analysts, marketing analysts, and market research analysts — are not eligible for classification as a TN economist.