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…
Articles Posted in STEM OPT
State Department Resumes Student Visa Appointments at U.S. Consulates, with Enhanced Vetting Polices and Demands for Social Media Access
On June 18, 2025, the State Department announced that U.S. Embassies and Consulates around the world will resume scheduling appointments for F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas, introducing new guidance that includes stricter vetting procedures and an expanded review of applicants’ social media activity. Moving forward, all F, M, and…
Immigration Roundup: Federal Judge Blocks Harvard Travel Ban, Crisis at Immigration Courts Leads to Lawsuit Stopping Fast Track Deportations
Harvard Travel Ban Blocked by Federal Judge Earlier this month President Trump had signed an Executive Order suspending the entry of all nonimmigrants and exchange visitors attending Harvard University, for a period of 6 months starting June 4th (the effective date of the proclamation). Those affected by the executive order…
Trump v. Harvard: New Executive Order Suspends Entry of Harvard Students and Exchange Visitors
On June 4, 2025, President Trump continued his ongoing assault on Harvard University with a new Executive Order entitled, “Enhancing National Security by Addressing Risks at Harvard University.” Effective June 4th, the order suspends the entry of all nonimmigrants and exchange visitors bound for Harvard University for a period of…
BREAKING: State Department Orders U.S. Embassies and Consulates to Begin Expanded Social Media Screening for Student Visa Applicants, Starting with Harvard
The Trump administration is not letting up on its campaign to target international students applying for visas at U.S. Embassies and Consulates, beginning with Harvard University students. On Friday May 30, 2025, the Secretary of State Marco Rubio sent an internal cable to U.S. Embassies and Consulates worldwide requiring them…
BREAKING: Trump Aggressively Targets International Students in New Visa Policies, Launches Assault on Higher Education
In recent days, the Trump administration has launched an aggressive campaign targeting international students studying at colleges and universities throughout the United States. These attacks escalated Thursday last week when the administration first announced that it would be halting Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students by revoking their Student…
USCIS Releases FY 2026 H-1B Cap Season Statistics
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently released detailed statistics and data regarding the number of beneficiaries selected during the fiscal year 2026 H-1B cap season, highlighting the highly competitive nature of the visa process. Each year, the H-1B visa program allows U.S. employers to temporarily employ foreign…
BREAKING: Trump Administration Changes Tune, Restores SEVIS Records for International Students, but Warns of Future Enforcement Actions
Following a wave of lawsuits from international students whose visas and Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) records were terminated without prior notice, the Trump administration has suddenly changed its course. In recent weeks, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has begun reinstating SEVIS records that were previously terminated,…
F-1 International Students Battle Wave of ICE-Initiated SEVIS Terminations
F-1 International Students at university campuses across the country have been rocked by alarming reports that their visas and SEVIS records have been suddenly terminated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), without any prior notice to the university or the student. This new wave of SEVIS terminations which began…
BREAKING NEWS: The H-1B FY 2026 Initial Lottery and Selection Process Has Been Completed
In this blog post, we bring you an important announcement regarding the H-1B visa fiscal year (FY) 2026 cap season. Today, March 31st the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it received sufficient electronic registrations during the initial registration period to meet the annual numerical limitations for fiscal year…