The U.S. Department of State has announced expanded screening and vetting procedures for visa applicants, effective Monday March 30. As a result, applying for a U.S. visa will now involve closer review of your background, including your online activity. Who Is Affected The following nonimmigrant visa applicants may now be…
A tragic case out of South Florida is raising serious concerns for teens pulled into the tight grip of immigration enforcement. A 19-year-old Mexican national, Royer Perez-Jimenez, recently died while in ICE custody at a detention facility, with early reports pointing to a possible suicide. The incident is still under…
We are pleased to report that the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs has published the April 2026 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…
The Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for hundreds of thousands of Haitians living in the United States. TPS is a humanitarian program that allows people from countries affected by disasters or conflict to live and work in the U.S. legally, without fear…
Beginning March 1, 2026, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will restrict its flagship loan programs—like the 7(a) and 504 loans—to businesses that are 100 % owned by U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals whose primary residence is in the United States. Under the revised policy, lawful permanent residents (green card holders) are no…
The Trump administration’s “Gold Card” visa program, which lets ultra-wealthy immigrants obtain permanent U.S. residency in exchange for a $1 million gift, is now the target of a federal lawsuit challenging its legality. The lawsuit filed by the American Association of University Professors argues that the program is unlawful, claiming…
On January 21, the Trump administration quietly froze immigrant visa processing for people from 75 countries — a move that instantly threw thousands of families, workers, and employers into uncertainty. Just weeks later, civil rights organizations and affected U.S. citizens who were separated from their family members have filed a…
As the FY 2027 H-1B cap season approaches, employers will need to take additional steps to prepare for the new wage-based weighted selection system and to assess whether their petitions will be subject to the recently implemented $100,000 H-1B fee. Registration Opens March 4, 2026 USCIS recently announced that the…
A chilling photo of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos in Minnesota has put a human face to rising concerns over aggressive immigration enforcement actions taken by ICE officials. Since that photo made national headlines, we’ve learned that federal immigration agents detained the boy and his father outside their home in Columbia…
In a new change to U.S. consular policy, the State Department has announced it will indefinitely pause immigrant visa issuance for nationals of 75 countries (see listed countries below), while it establishes a process for determining whether applicants are likely to become financially dependent on the U.S. government (also known…