EB5 Investors Magazine "Top 25 Awards Edition" Volume 8 Issue 1 | Page 37

TOP IMMIGRATION AT TORNEYS BRANDON MEYER IMMIGRATION ATTORNEYS EB5 INVESTORS MAGAZINE B randon Meyer is the founder and managing partner of Meyer Law Group (MLG), where he provides quality legal representation to clients ranging from EB-5 regional center operators and individual investors to multinational corporations. Involved in EB-5 since 1998, Meyer has seen the multiple life cycles of the EB-5 program. Meyer received his law degree from the University of San Diego School of Law and is a member of the Bars of Connecticut and the District of Columbia. MLG is headquartered in San Francisco and has offices in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Vietnam. Meyer has authored articles in legal publications such as Immigration Daily. HOW DO YOU THINK THE EB-5 PROGRAM SHOULD BE REFORMED? I expect the sunset date to not be a long-term issue. I would not be surprised to see another series of post-June 30 temporary program extensions before a longer-term reauthorization is enacted. WHAT NEW TRENDS ARE YOU SEEING IN THE EB-5 INDUSTRY? The main trend within the EB-5 industry is how much new activity (new projects, capital raises, investor signups) have been in a state of suspended animation since November 2019. COVID-19 delayed the necessary market adjustments that would have taken place after the November 2019 regulatory changes. EB-5 was always a supply-driven industry. I expect the market to revive once domestic and international travel become possible once again, allowing the industry to hold events and meet interested parties, and, thus, once again creating its own demand. The long-discussed "integrity measures" that are once again part of the "Leahy-Grassley" bill should be treated as inevitable. The industry should internalize these measures now and accept them as a necessary cost of participation in EB-5. ANUSREE NAIR A nusree (Anu) Nair is a partner at Klasko Immigration Law Partners and manages the investor division of the firm's EB-5 practice. She is responsible for the filing of all EB-5 petitions at the firm. Her command of investor-related issues is recognized within the industry and she is frequently called on to review cases prepared by other firms to ensure compliance with rigorous standards of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. Anu also leads the firm’s EB-1 practice, which can be a great option for those seeking a green card who face long delays in other categories. HOW DO YOU THINK THE EB-5 PROGRAM SHOULD BE REFORMED? I am all for integrity measures being added through legislation. What I would not like to see is the industry rallying around legislation that would essentially make it unpalatable for future investors. With respect to the sunset date, given how difficult it is for anything – even something like EB-5 that has bi-partisan IMMIGRATION ATTORNEYS EB5 INVESTORS MAGAZINE support – to pass Congress, I think it’s likely that we could see short-term extensions of the program if the legislation does not pass before June 30, 2021. WHAT NEW TRENDS ARE YOU SEEING IN THE EB-5 INDUSTRY? I work primarily with EB-5 investors so the trends that I am seeing include some negative and positive: Significant delays at USCIS for adjudications of all petitions and applications and for simple issuances of receipt notices. Delays at the consulate, where applicants are just awaiting their immigrant visa interviews. These delays have prevented applicants from traveling and visiting sick family members. As green cards were delayed and immigrant visas were not being issued, cut-off dates in the visa bulletin moved much faster than previously predicted. This has allowed some investors to protect their aging out children. EB5INVESTORS.COM 37