Weighted-Wage H-1B Lottery Takes Effect, Reshaping FY-2027 Cap Season
USCIS Premium-Processing Fee Jumps to $2,965—Last Day to File at Old Rate Is Feb 29 Shipment
Federal Judge Bars DHS From Detaining Lawful Refugees in Minnesota After One-Year Mark
Latest News
Advocacy Groups Sue to Stop Rule Slashing Time to Appeal Deportation Orders
Non-profits sued the Justice Department on Feb 27 to block a last-minute rule that would shrink the time to appeal deportation orders from 30 days to 10 days and allow the BIA to summarily dismiss cases. If implemented on March 9, the rule could hamper due process, increase compliance risk for businesses employing foreign nationals, and drive up legal costs.
State Department Suspends Routine Visa Services in Israel, Authorizes Departure of Staff Families
Citing security concerns, the U.S. State Department paused routine visa services at its Jerusalem embassy and Tel Aviv office and permitted non-essential staff families to leave. The move disrupts NIV processing for business travellers and requires multinationals to redirect visa appointments to third-country posts.
DHS proposes 365-day wait and possible ‘pause’ on work permits for asylum seekers
DHS has proposed requiring asylum applicants to wait a full year – instead of 150 days – before filing for work permits, and allowing the agency to suspend new filings altogether when asylum backlogs grow. Employers that rely on asylum-based EADs could face lengthy onboarding delays and workforce gaps. The business community is expected to push back hard during the 60-day comment period.
Trump administration asks Supreme Court to lift injunction on ending TPS for Syrians
The Justice Department has asked the Supreme Court to scrap a lower-court order that currently prevents DHS from ending Temporary Protected Status for Syrians. A ruling in the government’s favor would strip legal status and work authorization from about 6,100 people, forcing affected U.S. employers to find immediate staffing alternatives or sponsor other visas.
Internal memo warns ICE supervisors of vetting backlogs amid 12,000-officer hiring surge
A leaked memo shows ICE still lacks completed background checks for many of the 12,000 agents hired last year, telling supervisors to route misconduct tips to an internal watchdog. Rapid recruitment raises red flags about agent quality and potential over-zealous work-site enforcement – a concern for employers managing large foreign-born workforces.