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WASHINGTON – At the direction of the Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) are ramping up the review of immigration records and will take immediate appropriate actions to crackdown on visa overstays stemming from the Biden Administration’s failure to […]

A proposed reorganization of the State Department would cut an office dedicated to helping Afghan allies escape the country. The Thursday notification to Congress would cut the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE), eliminating the office on July 1. “This is not streamlining. This is deliberate dismantling. The CARE Office was established to fix the […]

Prospective international students to the U.S. were dealt another blow when U.S. embassies were ordered not to schedule any new student visa interviews while the Trump Administration prepares to expand its vetting of applicants’ social media profiles. “Effective immediately, in preparation for an expansion of required social media screening and vetting, consular sections should not […]

WASHINGTON— Today U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin considering aliens’ antisemitic activity on social media and the physical harassment of Jewish individuals as grounds for denying immigration benefit requests. This will immediately affect aliens applying for lawful permanent resident status, foreign students and aliens affiliated with educational institutions linked to antisemitic activity. Consistent […]

On January 20, 2025, the Trump Administration issued an executive order (EO) titled “Realigning the United States Refugee Admissions Program.” The order suspended final decisions on refugee cases and refugee entries to the United States; shortly thereafter, the Departments of State, Homeland Security, and Health and Human Services indefinitely suspended new applications, case processing, and […]

Effective Jan. 22, 2025, USCIS is waiving any and all requirements that applicants for adjustment of status to that of a lawful permanent resident present documentation on their Form I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, that they received the COVID-19 vaccination. USCIS will not issue any Request for Evidence or Notice of Intent […]

The Department of Homeland Security’s H-1B final rule and H-2 final rule take effect on Friday, January 17, 2025, modernizing and improving requirements for the H-1B nonimmigrant and H-2 nonimmigrant visa programs. USCIS will also publish a revised Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker (edition date 01/17/25) on Jan. 17, reflecting combined changes associated with the two final rules. As previously […]

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is updating our Policy Manual to clarify flexibilities that may be available to benefit requestors during and after an emergency or unforeseen circumstance.  The update explains that during certain emergencies or unforeseen circumstances that may present unanticipated challenges to immigration benefit requestors, we may use our discretion to implement certain flexibilities relating […]

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today announced a final rule that modernizes the H-1B program by streamlining the approval process, increasing its flexibility to better allow employers to retain talented workers, and improving the integrity and oversight of the program. What You Need to Know The H-1B nonimmigrant visa program allows U.S. employers to temporarily employ […]

On Nov. 26, 2024, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) posted a Federal Register notice designating Lebanon for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months, from Nov. 27, 2024, through May 27, 2026.   This designation allows eligible Lebanese nationals (and individuals having no nationality who last habitually resided in Lebanon) to obtain TPS if they have resided continuously […]