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…
Articles Posted in Family Visas
U.S. Suspends Immigrant Visa Processing for Nationals Residing in 75 Countries as It Reassesses “Public Charge” Rules
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…
February Visa Bulletin: EB-3 Worldwide Advances, Modest Movements for Family-Sponsored Categories
We are pleased to report that the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs has published the February 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 residence in…
Immigrants Affected by Travel Ban Sue Federal Government Over Pause in Case Processing
Nearly 200 immigrants, including six from Massachusetts, have filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. government over a sudden pause in processing green cards, citizenship applications, and asylum petitions. The pause was announced by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) shortly after the Trump administration expanded travel restrictions to 39…
Season’s Greetings from Our Law Office
As the year draws to a close, we would like to extend our sincere thanks for the trust you have placed in our firm. We wish you and your loved ones a joyful Christmas and a New Year filled with good health, peace, and success. It has been our privilege…
Presidential Proclamation Expands Travel Ban, Effective January 1, 2026
The U.S. government has issued a revised travel ban that takes effect at 12:01 a.m. ET on January 1, 2026, significantly expanding restrictions on visa issuance for nationals of 39 countries and individuals travelling with Palestinian Authority–issued travel documents. Under the new presidential proclamation, immigrant and nonimmigrant visas are fully…
January Visa Bulletin: Strong Movement for Employment-Based Categories and Family-Sponsored Categories
We are pleased to report that the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs has published the January 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…
Major Shifts in U.S. Immigration Policy: Family Parole Programs Ended & Social Media Screening Begins for H-1B and H-4 Consular Visa Applicants
DHS Ends Family Reunification Parole Programs On December 12, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it is terminating all categorical Family Reunification Parole (FRP) programs for citizens of Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, and Honduras, including their immediate family members. These programs allowed certain relatives…
USCIS Freezes Many Immigration Benefit Processes — What’s Going On?
On December 2, 2025, USCIS issued a policy memorandum placing a hold on numerous immigration benefit requests and ordering the re-examination of previously approved cases. What the Memo Says: Key Provisions Pending benefit requests frozen for many nationals. USCIS is pausing processing of all pending immigration benefit requests if the…
Officials Pause All Asylum Decisions and Implement Enhanced Vetting Following National Guard Shooting
In the wake of a deadly shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has been instructed to pause all asylum decisions until further notice. Asylum officers at USCIS, a branch of the Department of Homeland Security, have been told to refrain from…