TOP AT TORNEYS IN SPECI ALIZED FIELDS
LAURA FOOTE REIFF
GREENBERG TRAURIG
Laura Foote Reiff has been
involve d in E B - 5 sin c e th e
program’s inception in 1990.
With roots as a business
immigration attorney assisting
with EB-5 direct investments,
Reiff has grown to become co-chair of Greenberg Traurig,
LLP’s immigration and compliance group, a co-managing
shareholder for the firm, and the leader of The EB-5
Immigration Coalition – a diverse organization of trade
associations and businesses working to advance the
EB-5 program. She collaborates with Greenberg Traurig’s
dedicated EB-5 team, which includes professionals such
as economists and securities attorneys, to assist both
investors and developers across the full spectrum of EB-5
matters.
HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THE
EB-5 INDUSTRY CHANGE FOR A
BETTER FUTURE?
commercial projects. In order to attract investors, we need
backlog reduction; a change in the ability of investors to
travel to the U.S. after investing; and more immigrant visa
numbers, as a start. We also need to have efficient and
thorough processes to adjudicate investor petitions and
project applications.
WHAT TRENDS ARE YOU SEEING WHEN
IT COMES TO EB-5 LITIGATION OR
ADVOCACY?
The EB-5 regulations, combined with the extreme backlogs,
have left the program virtually lifeless. We need legislative
reform to address important issues concerning the rural
and urban balance and the integrity measures. The solution
can be found in legislation proposals authored by Senators
Graham, Rounds, Cornyn and Schumer. Litigation
challenging the regulations is ongoing and will hopefully
yield relief soon.
The EB-5 industry needs legislative reform to make the
program permanent and to allow it to be a viable tool for
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