Photo of Cole F. Heyer

Cole F. Heyer has been working in the immigration field for over a decade and has wide-ranging experience in both family-based and employment-based immigration matters. Prior to joining GT in 2015, Cole worked at a high-volume family-based immigration practice where he represented clients before the Atlanta Immigration Court and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

At GT, Cole focuses his practice on representing domestic and multinational employers before the USCIS, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), the U.S. Department of State (DOS), and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on virtually all issues that employers may face in the employment context with immigration.

Specifically, Cole represents and advises employers, ranging from small, start-up companies to Fortune 50 companies, in all areas of employment-based immigration matters, including nonimmigrant visa categories (B, E-1/2, E-3, F, H-1B, H-3, J, L-1A/B, O, TN, R), permanent residence (PERM, Extraordinary Ability/Outstanding Researchers, Multinational Managers and National Interest Waivers), naturalization, and DACA. He services companies in all industries, including pharmaceuticals, medical device, oil & gas, retail and fashion, IT, financial services, and food & beverage on U.S. employment-based immigration, compliance and enforcement actions, and global immigration. Cole also assists with GT’s federal litigation practice concerning immigration matters.

Finally, Cole advises employers with I-9 compliance by providing onsite training, internal audits and reviews, and deploying best practices to minimize exposure and liabilities in the event of ICE investigations and audits. As part of this practice, Cole has worked directly with ICE on I-9 audits to negotiate on behalf of employers that he represents.

In this episode of Greenberg Traurig’s Immigration Insights Podcast, Kate Kalmykov and Cole Heyer discuss recent developments affecting Temporary Protected Status and the resulting considerations for employers and foreign nationals.…

Continue Reading Immigration Insights Episode 31 | Evolving TPS Policy: Staying Compliant in a Changing Landscape

The DOJ, through its Immigrant and Employee Rights Section, has filed a lawsuit against Cloudera alleging systemic discrimination against U.S. workers in hiring practices tied to the Permanent Labor Certification Program process.…

Continue Reading DOJ Lawsuit Against Cloudera Alleges Discrimination Tied to PERM‑Related Hiring Practices

On Sept. 19, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced Project Firewall, a new enforcement initiative focused on compliance with employers’ obligations under H-1B visa program with respect to hiring and retention, wage and hour, and other employment practices.  Project Firewall’s stated goal is “to safeguard the rights, wages, and job opportunities of highly…

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced on April 22, 2020 that it will extend the temporary closure of the Trusted Traveler Programs (TTP) through June 1, 2020, with extended closures possible due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  Due to the suspension of the TTP, CBP will close all of the following enrollment centers:

  • Global Entry,

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Late on April 20, President Trump tweeted his intention to issue an Executive Order (EO) that “temporarily” suspends immigration into the United States. The proposed suspension may be issued in two EOs that address the following:

  • 60-day travel ban EO: The first EO may consist of a 60-day ban on the issuance of immigrant visas,

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In almost every state, companies have instituted temporary work from home policies—or have been instructed by government authorities to institute such policies—in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19), in an effort to “flatten the curve” and stop the spread of the virus.  In so doing, companies that regularly employ H-1B and E-3 visa holders may need…

On March 23, 2018, USCIS significantly changed its interpretation of the H-1B rules by issuing a policy memorandum adopting the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) decision Matter of S- Inc.  The issue addressed in Matter of S- Inc. is the meaning of the term “related entities” in cases where multiple employers file cap-subject H-1B petitions for the same beneficiary.
Continue Reading Under New H-1B Rule Interpretation, You May be More Closely Related than You Think

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is denying Advance Parole (AP) applications when an applicant travels internationally while the application is pending with USCIS.  This represents a big adjudication shift by USCIS, which has for several years allowed certain AP applicants to travel abroad while waiting for USCIS to approve an AP application.  By making…

Over the past several months, some trends have developed which pose challenges for employers taking part in the H-1B program: 1. the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) is issuing Requests for Evidence (RFEs) for H-1B petitions that challenge the H-1B position’s level 1 prevailing wage classification, the lowest permitted wage level for H-1B…