California high court eases secrecy limits on police records
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California's Supreme Court is expanding 40-year-old rules for telling suspects when they've been arrested by a bad cop.The justices ruled unanimously Monday that police agencies' obligation to make sure suspects get a fair trial outweighs the privacy rights of officers who have a history of bad behavior.They rejected a lower court ruling that blocked the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department from giving prosecutors the names of deputies who previously took bribes, tampered with evidence, lied, or used excessive force.Prosecutors are required to share that background with defendants, who can then use it to argue that they were framed or otherwise harmed by rogue officers.The justices also noted that a new law requiring more public disclosure of police misconduct means some police records are no longer confidential.
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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.