USCIS Plans to Require Electronic Filing for Certain Immigration Forms
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued an interim final rule authorizing the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to require electronic filing for certain immigration benefit requests that have been available for e-filing for at least 180 days. Read more.
USCIS Advances Proposal to Eliminate Discretionary 60-Day Grace Period for Certain Nonimmigrant Workers
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has submitted a proposed rule for review that would eliminate the discretionary 60-day grace period currently available to certain employment-based nonimmigrant visa holders following the termination of employment. Read more.
Federal Court Blocks State Department’s Public Charge Visa Pause in EB-5 Case
On July 31, 2026, the US District Court for the District of Columbia ruled in De Moura Gomes v. Rubio that the State Department’s Public Charge Policy violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by overriding consular officers’ statutory authority to make individualized visa determinations. Read more.
Court Temporarily Blocks Select USCIS TPS and Asylum Fee Policies Under One Big Beautiful Bill Act
A federal court has temporarily paused several US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) policies related to temporary protected status-based work permits and the annual asylum fee while litigation continues, although USCIS may still collect the asylum fee. Read more.
DHS Expands 9-11 Biometric Fee to More H-1B and L-1 Extension Petitions
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has finalized a rule requiring certain H-1B- and L-1-dependent employers to pay the 9-11 Biometric Fee for all extension petitions, including extensions with the same employer, beginning 30 days after publication in the Federal Register. Read more.
State Department Launches Public Charge Bond Pilot for Certain Immigrant Visa Applicants
The US Department of State (DOS) has begun a pilot program allowing consular officers to require certain immigrant visa applicants denied on public charge grounds to obtain a Public Charge Bond as an alternative path to visa approval. Read more.
ICE Expands Airport Enforcement to Detain Visa Overstays, Including Spouses of US Citizens
According to reporting from The New York Times, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has begun detaining foreign nationals with expired immigration statuses at airport check-in counters and arrival gates, broadening enforcement that had previously focused on individuals with final orders of removal. Read more.
Federal Appeals Court Declines to Stay Order Vacating $100,000 H-1B Payment Requirement
The US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit denied the government’s motion to stay a district court order vacating the $100,000 H-1B payment requirement on July 24, 2026. Read more.
