This week, the Justice Department announced that it has hired 36 new immigration judges — 11 permanent and 25 temporary — for the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), a key agency that handles immigration court proceedings in deportation cases. What’s happening? The hiring comes after several months of layoffs…
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REMINDER: Starting October 28th USCIS has moved to Electronic-Only Payments for Filing Fees
On August 29, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a major update to how filing fees for USCIS forms are paid. Starting October 28, 2025, all payments must be made electronically through ACH bank transfer from a U.S. bank account or with credit/debit cards. Paper checks and money…
DHS Ends Automatic Extension of Employment Authorization: What You Need to Know
On October 29, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced an interim final rule that will end the automatic extension of employment authorization documents (EADs) for most renewal applicants effective October 30, 2025. In this post, we’ll unpack what’s changing, who it affects, the rationale behind the change, and…
What’s happening with the Diversity Visa Lottery?
The latest announcement from U.S. Department of State has sent ripples through immigration communities: the opening of registration for the Diversity Visa Lottery (DV‑2027) has been delayed, and changes to the entry process are on the horizon. What’s happening? Traditionally, the DV-Lottery registration period opens in early October. This year,…
New USCIS Guidance Clarifying Who Pays $100,000 H-1B Fee
On September 19, 2025, the President issued a Proclamation on the Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers, requiring any new H-1B petitions to include an additional $100,000 payment as a condition for eligibility. Following the President’s announcement, USCIS released clarification on the new fee requirement, specifying that the surcharge…
DHS Implements New $1,000 Immigration Parole Fee
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has introduced a new $1,000 immigration parole fee for most individuals granted parole into the country, effective October 16, 2025. Announced by DHS and USCIS under the H.R. 1 legislation, the fee applies at the time parole is granted, even if the application…
November Visa Bulletin: No Movement for Employment-Based Categories, Modest Movement for Family Sponsored Categories
We are pleased to report that the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs has published the November 2025 Visa Bulletin. In this blog post, we breakdown the movement of the employment-based and family-sponsored categories in the coming month. USCIS Adjustment of Status For adjustment of status filings to permanent…
Starting October 28, USCIS Will No Longer Accept Filing Fee Payments by Check or Money Order
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that, effective October 28, it will no longer accept checks or money orders for payment of filing fees, ending the previously permitted payment methods. What Payment Methods Are Now Accepted? Payment by ACH Bank Transfer Starting October 28th USCIS will accept payment…
Trump Faces First Legal Challenge Over $100,000 H‑1B Entry Fee
On October 3, 2025, a coalition of labor unions, healthcare providers, academic institutions, and religious groups, filed a lawsuit urging a federal court to strike down the $100,000 fee imposed on new H-1B petitions by the Trump administration for workers outside the United States. What the Lawsuit Says The lawsuit,…
Supreme Court Decision Puts Temporary Protected Status of Venezuelans at Risk
Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a troubling decision that could strip legal status from hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans currently living in the United States under Temporary Protected Status (TPS). On Friday, the Court granted the Trump administration’s request to halt a lower court ruling that found…