March 2025 » ImmigrationUSA

H-1B Cap

FY 2026 H-1B Selection Process Complete

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) completed the H-1B selection process for the 2026 fiscal year (FY). The agency received enough electronic registrations to reach the FY 2026 H-1B allocations. All beneficiaries were randomly selected as needed to reach the H-1B cap. Registrants are notified of their status via

March 31, 2025

Green Card

Some Green Card Applications Placed on Hold

As part of a broader effort to more aggressively vet immigrants and documented migrants, the Trump administration has placed some green card applications on hold. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently directed officials to suspend processing of requests for legal permanent residency submitted by individuals granted refugee or

March 26, 2025

ICE

ICE Reinstates No Release Policy Amid Federal Judge Order

A group of attorneys representing noncitizens in New York City told a Manhattan federal judge that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s blanket no release policy is back in place. The group argued that the number of individuals released from ICE custody has decreased. This is despite a 2022 settlement that

March 25, 2025

visa waiver program

Elimination of Deference Policy for Nonimmigrant Visa Waivers

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) announced the elimination of the deference policy for nonimmigrant visa (NIV) waivers. Prior to this change, consular officials were required to follow previous decisions when reviewing waiver requests. Now, officials must review each waiver request independently, regardless of previous decisions. A visa waiver is

March 25, 2025

Trump Immigration Policy

Potential Impacts on U.S. Employers of a Possible New Travel Ban

With the Trump administration considering a new travel ban on specific countries due to security concerns, visa access for individuals from the included countries may be restricted. A travel ban could impact U.S. employers, making it harder for them to hire and retain overseas employees. Here’s what employers need to

March 25, 2025

Trump Immigration Policy

Stricter Enforcement of Evidentiary Standards: What You Need to Know

A recent presidential memorandum, released on March 22, 2025, titled “Preventing Abuses of the Legal System and the Federal Court,” calls for stricter enforcement of attorney conduct and evidentiary standards within the immigration system. The Trump Administration directed the Attorney General (AG) and Department of Homeland Security to combat “rampant

March 25, 2025

green card holders

Stricter Immigration Enforcement Affects Visa and Green Card Holders

Multiple high-profile arrests and deportations have sparked fear among visa and green-card holders that they could be targeted by the Trump administration. The president, who made tougher immigration enforcement a central pillar of his reelection campaign, has taken several steps to streamline the detention and deportation process. While initially focused

March 20, 2025

immigration judges

Immigration Judges Terminated by Biden Invited to Reapply

Following the termination of several immigration judges, the acting director of the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) invited more than a dozen of them to reapply. The director argued because the attorney general didn’t sign off on the terminations, their validity was questionable. At least fifteen immigration judges were

March 20, 2025

Alien Enemies Act of 1798

Trump Invokes Alien Enemies Act and Defies Court Orders as Basis of Challenged Removal

The Trump administration invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 on March 15, 2025. The White House claims the eighteenth-century law allows for the swift detention and deportation of suspected members of the Tren de Aragua Venezuelan prison gang. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) oversees the detention and deportation

March 19, 2025

Deportation

Rights of Green Card Holders

The arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder from New York City, over his involvement in protests the year prior have raised questions about the rights of green card holders. Khalil is currently being held in Louisiana and has not been charged with a crime. The Trump administration plans

March 19, 2025