USCIS

With annual appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) having lapsed on Feb. 14, 2026, immigration stakeholders are again navigating the practical consequences of a DHS-specific shutdown. Despite the…

Continue Reading The Current DHS Shutdown’s Impact on Immigration Agencies

On Jan. 1, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a new policy memorandum that has had wide-ranging effects on immigration benefit processing.…

Continue Reading USCIS ‘High-Risk’ Country Policy Explained: An Analysis of PM-602-0194 Nearly 60 Days Later

The U.S. government is rapidly expanding its use of AI across immigration and visa adjudications. While much of the public discussion focuses on efficiency and enforcement, these developments carry concrete…

Continue Reading The US Government’s Expanding Use of AI in Immigration Adjudications: Considerations for Employers and Investors
On Dec. 2, 2025, USCIS issued a policy memorandum PM-602-0192 directing officers to place an adjudicative hold on all pending asylum applications (Form I-589), regardless of nationality, and most pending immigration benefit requests – such as green cards, adjustment of status, travel documents, naturalization, etc. – filed by nationals of 19 countries designated as “high risk,” regardless of the entry date. … Continue Reading USCIS Halts Processing for Pending Asylum Applications and Immigration Benefit Request from 19 ‘High-Risk’ Countries

On Sept. 19, 2025, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation establishing a new $100,000 payment requirement for certain H-1B filings, effective Sept. 21, 2025. While U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services…

Continue Reading Who Must Pay the New $100,000 H-1B Filing Fee: Real-World Scenarios Explained

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced a policy change impacting thousands of noncitizen workers and their employers across the United States. In an interim final rule released this…

Continue Reading New DHS Rule to End the Automatic Work Permit Extension