On August 18, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced that it will publish a revised edition of the Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status on September 18, 2026. This change is similar to USCIS's recent announcement regarding new editions of For...
Immigration Newswire
Immigration law is composed of statutes, regulations, case law and non-binding agency guidance. The primary statute with which we deal as immigration attorneys is the Immigration and Nationality Act.
The regulations we reference are all included in various volumes of the Code of Federal Regulations (“CFR”). We primarily use 8 CFR, which is USCIS regulations; 20 CFR, which is Department of Labor regulations; and 22 CFR, which is Department of State regulations.
In addition, we cite to precedent decisions by the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) and the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO).
Finally, the various federal agencies with which we deal provide frequent administrative guidance which is not binding but which governs their internal policies.
By providing you with the latest immigration legal news, we hope to offer practical insights into the ways various legal provisions are being construed by the government.
BREAKING: USCIS Expected to Begin Requiring Online Filing
On August 10, 2026, USCIS announced its plan to introduce an Interim Final Rule that would require e-filing using the myUSCIS website for some immigration benefits. Under the final rule, posted August 11, 2026, USCIS can now require e-filings for any immigration form that has already been availa...
New Versions of the Form I-539 and Form I-765 to be Required as of September 15, 2026
On September 15, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will publish revised editions of Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status, and Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. The 09/15/26 editions of the forms will replace the existing versions. There ...
USCIS Issues New Guidance on Evidence
On August 5, 2026, USCIS released a Policy Memo to update its internal guidance relating to evidentiary standards, Requests for Evidence (RFEs), and Notices of Intent to Deny (NOIDs). Under federal regulation, USCIS always maintained the discretion to deny an application or petition when the bur...
BREAKING: Reports of Foreign Nationals Being Detained During Domestic Travel
by Adam J. Kneeland TSA appears to have broken its long-standing practice of not checking immigration status for domestic travel (that is, travel within the US). Though no official sources have confirmed this updated TSA policy, immigration attorneys have begun receiving calls from clients who h...
Trump Administration to Make Major Changes for F-1 Students
On July 16, 2026, the Trump Administration announced that it plans to publish a final rule seeking to “end foreign student visa abuse” and crack down on perceived abuse and fraud within the F-1, Student visa classification. We can expect the final rule to be published in the coming days. Additi...
Can CBP search my phone or other electronic device at the border?
Yes, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has the ability to search your phone or other electronic device at the border. The Fourth Amendment provides for “[t]he right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not b...
BREAKING - Supreme Court Upholds Birthright Citizenship
On June 30, 2026, the Supreme Court released its decision in Trump v. Barbara, 609 U.S. ____ (2026). The Court ruled 6-3 to strike down President Trump's January 2025 Executive Order which sought to end birthright citizenship. Birthright citizenship has been a longstanding practice in the United ...
Supreme Court Decision Has Potential to Impact Certain Green Card Holders Traveling Internationally
On June 23, 2026, the Supreme Court released its decision in Blanche v. Lau, 609 U.S. ___ (2026). The court's holding may impact the way Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers inspect and admit green card holders returning to the United States after international travel if they have pending...
Proposed Changes to Form AR-11 Require Information About Public Benefits
USCIS has proposed changes to the Form AR-11, Alien's Change of Address Card. Currently, the form is used for non-U.S. citizen residents to report address changes when they move as well as those who are subject to the registry requirement. Only those who are subject to the registry requirement ar...
BREAKING: US District Judge Blocks H-1B $100k Fee
On June 8, 2026, a U.S. District Judge ended the $100,000 fee for H-1B petitions implemented by the Trump administration in September 2025. The purpose of the fee was to discourage American companies from hiring foreign employees using the H-1B visa. The announcement of the $100,000 fee caused m...
Expedited Visa Interviews Expected to be Offered – For a Price
According to the Associated Press and an anonymous Department of State official, the US government is planning to run a pilot program, running July 1-December 31, 2026, to expedite visa interviews at select US Consulates abroad. Similar to premium processing with USCIS, the expedited processing ...
I didn’t get selected in the H-1B lottery…now what?
On March 31, 2026, USCIS announced that it had received enough registrations to reach the Fiscal Year 2027 H-1B cap. Selected registrants may file their Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker beginning April 1, 2026. Petitions for selected registrants must be filed prior to June 30, 2026....
BREAKING - Country-Specific Processing Pause Overturned by U.S. District Court
On Friday, June 5, 2026, U.S. District Court Judge John McConnell overturned Trump administration policies that halted processing of any immigration application for citizens from 39 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and South America. The administration's policies led to a pause on pr...
How to Prepare for Your Adjustment of Status Interview under the “Extraordinary Circumstances” Policy
Adjustment of status interviews are continuing to take place in the wake of USCIS's Policy Memorandum PM-602-0199, which was published on May 22, 2026. The Policy Memorandum doubled down on approvals of adjustment of status applications being discretionary by requiring applicants to show extraord...
New Vetting Process at USCIS Expected to Cause Delays in Case Processing
On April 27, 2026, USCIS implemented a new vetting process for conducting background checks. This change is part of a broader plan for USCIS to use stronger security screening and vetting processes initially announced on March 30, 2026. The new process requires that all applications requiring bi...
What USCIS’s New Policy Memo on Adjustment of Status Means for You
On May 22, 2026, USCIS released Policy Memorandum PM-602-0199 which introduced drastic changes for how adjustment of status applications will be processed going forward. The Policy Memorandum relies heavily on language in Section 245(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) which states ap...
BREAKING – USCIS Announces New Policy for Adjustment of Status
On May 22, 2026, USCIS announced a new policy directing USCIS Officers to approve Form I-485, Adjustment of Status applications only in “extraordinary circumstances” when an applicant has the ability to pursue Consular Processing in their home country. Officers have been directed to consider all...
USCIS Ends Telephonic Interview Appearances for Attorneys
USCIS has posted an announcement on their Field Offices page that, effective May 18, 2026, attorneys and accredited representatives will no longer be allowed to appear telephonically at client field office interviews and in affirmative asylum and Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief ...
Changes to upcoming H-1B cap lottery selection process
USCIS will make weight future H-1B lottery selections based on salary
Updates to the $100K fee for new H-1Bs
USCIS has issued clarification regarding the $100K fee for new H-1Bs. This post quickly summarizes when it is and is not required.
USCIS "Declares War" on Immigration Fraud with Operation Twin Shield
By Grace Vensel On September 30, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the completion of Operation Twin Shield, an immigration fraud investigation conducted in the Minneapolis-St. Paul region from September 19 to September 28, 2025. Labeled a "resounding success" by U...
Updates to the H-1B: What we know about the $100,000 fee
An overview of what USCIS has confirmed and what is still unknown about the $100,000 H-1B fee
USCIS Announces Changes to Naturalization Civics Test
By Grace Vensel To become a naturalized citizen of the United States, Section 312 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) requires applicants to demonstrate an understanding of the English language, as well as knowledge of U.S. history, principles, and the form of government. One of the key...
USCIS to Accept Only Electronic Payments of Filing Fees Starting October 2025
Effective October 28, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will no longer accept paper checks and money orders as payment of filing fees. In place of paper payments, USCIS has implemented an electronic payment system that either authorizes the agency to directly withdraw filing fees from a U.S. bank account or to charge a U.S. issued credit card. This article explains why USCIS has made this change, how applicants must now submit filing fees, and important considerations to keep in mind.