🇺🇸 Work & skilled workers

The United States government is suspending specific tech companies from a programme that offers a pathway to permanent residency for skilled foreign workers, known as green cards. This suspension affects major tech firms including Adobe, Microsoft, Indian tech giants Infosys, and Tata Consultancy Services. Its practical effect would depend on the scope of the suspension, including whether it covers new applications, pending applications, applications submitted through agents or attorneys, ad particular subsidiaries or affiliated entities. Those details cannot safely be inferred from media reports alone. The formal government instrument is needed to establish the legal authority used, the exact companies and entities covered, the start date, the duration, any exceptions and the available review or appeal procedures.

Under the proposed rule, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would introduce a new fee for Optional Practical Training (OPT) that would be paid by the SEVP-certified educational institution recommending an F-1 student for OPT. The fee would be $70,000 for a student’s first participation in OPT and $30,000 for each subsequent OPT recommendation after the student has already participated in OPT and the initial $70,000 fee has been paid. The proposal applies to each individual F-1 student and is not tied to a particular employer. The $70,000 initial fee would apply the first time an F-1 student is recommended for any type of OPT, regardless of whether that recommendation is for pre-completion OPT or post-completion OPT. The school would have to pay the fee before its Designated School Official (DSO) enters the OPT recommendation in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). The fee would therefore become a condition that must be satisfied before the normal OPT recommendation process can proceed. The $30,000 subsequent fee would apply whenever the same student receives another OPT recommendation after their initial OPT participation, provided the initial $70,000 fee has already been paid. This would include another period of pre-completion OPT, post-completion OPT, or a 24-month STEM OPT extension. The fee is triggered by the school making another OPT recommendation, rather than by a student changing employers. For example, if a student first uses pre-completion OPT and later receives a recommendation for post-completion OPT, the institution would pay $70,000 for the first recommendation and $30,000 for the second, even if the student works for the same employer throughout. The proposal would also create a direct link between payment of the institutional fee and employment authorisation. USCIS would not grant the student employment authorisation until the applicable OPT fee had been paid. The student would still have to complete the existing USCIS employment authorisation process, including filing Form I-765 and paying the applicable USCIS filing fee, but the new institutional OPT fee would become an additional prerequisite for the issuance of the Employment Authorization Document (EAD). Although the educational institution would be formally responsible for paying the fee, DHS states that the proposed rule would not prescribe how schools must obtain the money, provided they comply with other applicable laws. DHS expressly acknowledges that schools could pass the financial obligation on to the F-1 student, other students, or employers. This means that although the regulatory obligation would sit with the institution, the economic burden could ultimately be transferred to students or employers depending on how individual institutions respond. The proposal includes refund provisions, but they would be limited. A school could request a refund where the student did not receive the OPT employment authorisation associated with the payment. For an initial fee, the school would have to request the refund before the student received the EAD. For a subsequent fee, the student must not have received the relevant EAD or OPT extension, and the DSO would have to remove the OPT recommendation from SEVIS before the refund request. Refunds would be considered by SEVP on a case-by-case basis, and the decision would not be subject to administrative appeal. Once the relevant EAD had been issued, the fee would not be refundable. The proposal would also affect how different forms of OPT interact financially. A student who divides their available OPT between pre-completion and post-completion OPT could result in the institution paying $100,000 in total, because the first recommendation would attract the $70,000 fee and the subsequent recommendation would attract the $30,000 fee. DHS notes that this could create an incentive for institutions and students to favour post-completion OPT rather than splitting the available OPT period between pre-completion and post-completion participation. DHS is also seeking views on an alternative approach under which the $70,000 initial fee could apply again when an F-1 student moves to a higher educational level and subsequently begins OPT at that new level. For example, the initial fee could potentially apply again after a student progresses from a bachelor's degree to a postgraduate degree. This is not the main proposal, however. It is an alternative on which DHS is specifically inviting public comment. The proposal would apply prospectively rather than immediately to existing OPT recommendations. DHS proposes that a final rule would take effect 60 days after its publication in the Federal Register. The $70,000 fee would then apply to OPT recommendations dated on or after that effective date. Subsequent recommendations for students who had already participated in OPT and for whom the initial fee had been paid would be subject to the $30,000 fee. The central policy rationale is to make schools more financially accountable for the OPT recommendations they make. DHS argues that the current system has allowed fraudulent or abusive arrangements involving shell companies, staged or non-functional worksites, questionable employment arrangements and OPT positions that have little relationship to a student's field of study. The Department says the new financial obligation would encourage institutions to conduct more intensive checks before recommending students for OPT and would help deter the use of OPT primarily as a route to employment or residence rather than legitimate practical training connected to an F-1 student's studies. DHS also explicitly links the proposal to concerns about the scale of the OPT programme and its impact on U.S. workers. The Department reported that 194,554 F-1 students received EADs for pre-completion or post-completion OPT in 2024, compared with 160,627 in 2023. DHS argues that the rapid growth of OPT has outpaced the government's ability to investigate potential fraud and compliance problems effectively. The proposed fees are therefore intended not only to raise revenue, but to change the incentives of schools, students and employers and reduce participation in cases that DHS considers to lack a genuine educational purpose.

The United States and Greece have announced a series of enhancements to their bilateral relationship. These include $4 billion in Foreign Military Sales to support Greece's long-term defence plan, aiming to deepen interoperability and explore future opportunities for defence industrial base cooperation, particularly in innovative technologies. Greece's participation in the U.S. National Guard Bureau's State Partnership Programme with Florida has been finalised, and interoperability has been enhanced through the provision of Stryker vehicles to Greece. Law enforcement and counter-terrorism cooperation have been expanded, alongside a reaffirmed commitment to address irregular migration. An agreement on certification for U.S. seafarers on Greek vessels has been signed. Additionally, an extension of their Cultural Property Agreement has been signed, and the United States' first project in Greece under the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation has been announced.

For the period beginning 1 October 2026 and ending 31 January 2027, interest on cash deposited to secure ICE immigration bonds accrues at 3% per annum. This rate operates within the existing statutory and regulatory limits. It is subject to the maximum of 3% per annum and the minimum of zero, and it applies to the specified period rather than indefinitely. The notice does not introduce a new bond process or alter the requirements for posting an immigration bond. It does not change the circumstances in which an immigration bond may be available, the amount of security required, or the conditions governing a person's release.

For fiscal year 2027, the United States is authorised to admit no more than 17,500 refugees under the presidential determination. The ceiling applies across the refugee admissions programme, while the principal allocation priority is Afrikaners from South Africa. The determination does not provide a guaranteed number of admissions for any individual applicant or establish an entitlement to resettlement for members of the priority group. 91 FR 63119 The determination also carries forward the special processing provision for Afrikaners under Executive Order 14204. If they meet the relevant requirements, people processed under that order may be considered refugees for admission purposes while still in South Africa, their country of nationality or habitual residence. This is distinct from the ordinary refugee process in which applicants are generally processed outside the United States, and it does not remove the requirement to satisfy the applicable refugee and security criteria. 91 FR 63119 The ceiling is subject to other presidential policies and actions, including the suspension of refugee entry established by Executive Order 14163. Under the determination, refugee admissions remain possible only within the applicable exceptions and authorisations. The numerical ceiling should therefore not be read as an automatic reopening of the refugee programme to applicants worldwide. The determination applies throughout FY2027, from 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2027. It does not set a separate commencement date within that fiscal year, nor does it establish a different ceiling for each quarter or month. The President signed it on 25 September, before the fiscal year began, and it was subsequently published in the Federal Register on 2 October.

The Secretary of Homeland Security has waived in their entirety specific federal, state, and other legal requirements, including Public Law 82–495, section 208, the New Mexico Water Code, and certain parts of the New Mexico Administrative Code, with respect to the construction of physical barriers and roads in a defined project area within the U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector in New Mexico. This waiver covers activities such as accessing project areas, creating and using staging areas, earthwork, excavation, fill, site preparation, designing, drilling, constructing, operating, maintaining, repairing, and plugging wells, and the installation and upkeep of physical barriers, roads, supporting elements, drainage, erosion controls, safety features, lighting, cameras, and sensors.

The final rule establishes a fee system specifically designed around the EB-5 programme's costs and the statutory processing objectives contained in the 2022 Reform and Integrity Act. USCIS revised its fee study using FY2026 and FY2027 workload and cost projections rather than relying on the older assumptions used for the 2025 proposed rule. Projected average annual EB-5 receipts were revised from 11,262 to 16,604 filings. The fee-setting methodology is intended to recover the costs of administering EB-5, including adjudication, programme management, compliance, fraud prevention and information technology. USCIS states that the final fee structure is designed around statutory average processing goals, including 180 days for regional-centre applications and applications for investment in a new commercial enterprise, 240 days for immigrant investor petitions and petitions to remove conditions, and 120 days for certain EB-5 petitions involving targeted employment areas. These are statutory programme goals used in the fee-setting methodology, not a guarantee that every individual case will be completed within those periods. The new Form I-527 is one of the most substantive additions. It is intended for investors who filed legacy Form I-526 petitions before the EB-5 Reform Act and who need to amend those petitions to preserve eligibility following termination of their regional centre or debarment of their new commercial enterprise or job-creating entity. The fee is $10,330. USCIS has clarified that Form I-527 is not treated as a new immigrant petition. An investor using the form retains the original priority date, and USCIS says there are no penalties simply for seeking relief under the statutory investor-protection provision. Adjudication of the amendment will consider the circumstances of the individual case, including relevant source-of-funds, job-creation and good-faith issues where applicable. The rule also formalises annual Integrity Fund payments. Every designated regional centre must pay its applicable annual fee on 1 October. The amount depends on the number of qualifying investors associated with the regional centre's new commercial enterprises during the preceding fiscal year. The regulation further formalises the role of promoters. Form I-956K is required for registration of direct and third-party promoters, including migration agents, acting in connection with regional centres, new commercial enterprises, affiliated job-creating entities or securities offered in connection with EB-5 projects.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued a Federal Register notice to increase certain H.R. 1 immigration-related fees for Fiscal Year 2027, accounting for inflation from July 2025 through July 2026. These adjustments are effective from 16 October 2026. Requests postmarked on or after 16 October 2026 without the proper new fee will be rejected. The new fees are: Annual Asylum Application Fee: $105, Form I-131 (Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records, Immigration Parole Fee): $1,050, Form I-765 (Application for Employment Authorisation) for initial Asylum applicant Employment Authorisation Document (EAD), Parole EAD, or Temporary Protected Status EAD: $570, and Form I-821 (Application for Temporary Protected Status): $520.

The Department of Justice has implemented statutorily required inflation adjustments to immigration-related OBBBA fees for certain DHS forms filed with the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2027. The new fees, effective from 1 October 2026, are: - Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status: $1,590 (an increase of $50 from FY 2026) - Form I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal – Initial Application: $100 (no change from FY 2026) - Form I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal – Annual Asylum Fee: $105 (an increase of $3 from FY 2026) - Form I-601, Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility: $1,100 (an increase of $30 from FY 2026) - Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status: $520 (an increase of $10 from FY 2026) These adjustments apply only to the OBBBA fees collected by EOIR and do not change any fees collected pursuant to section 286(m) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which are detailed in DHS's fee schedule. The amounts displayed on EOIR's Payment Portal and website will reflect the combined total of the section 286(m) and OBBBA fees. Filings submitted on or after 1 October 2026 without the correct fee or an applicable fee waiver will be rejected.

The President of the United States has transmitted 11 proposals for rescission of budget authority, totalling $810 million, to the Congress for consideration. If enacted, these rescissions would decrease Federal outlays in the affected accounts by the same amount, impacting the Federal budget deficit, the national economy, and Federal Government borrowing. Specifically, these proposals include: -Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families, Refugee and Entrant Assistance account: A rescission of $567,401,904 from the $6.3 billion appropriated in FY 2024. This account funds the Office of Refugee Resettlement programmes for refugees, asylum seekers, and other eligible non-citizens. -Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Federal Assistance account: A rescission of $15,000,000 (the full amount appropriated in FY 2025) for the Alternatives to Detention-Case Management Pilot Programme (ATD-CMPP). This grant programme provided funding to non-profit organisations for mental health services, social services, legal orientation, and cultural orientation for immigrants and asylum seekers. -Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Citizenship and Immigration Services, Federal Assistance account: A rescission of $10,000,000 (the full amount appropriated in FY 2025) for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Citizenship and Integration grant programme. This programme provides grants to non-governmental organisations to assist individuals in becoming U.S. citizens. -Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Education for the Disadvantaged account: A rescission of $24,907,509 from the $52 million appropriated in FY 2026 for competitive grants within Special Programmes for Migrant Students. This programme subsidises education for seasonal immigrant workers' children. -Department of Justice, Legal Activities and U.S. Marshals, Salaries and Expenses, Community Relations Service account: A rescission of $15,000,000 from the $20 million appropriated in FY 2026 for the Community Relations Service (CRS). -International Assistance Programmes, Multilateral Assistance, Debt Restructuring account: A rescission of $8,704,713 from the $20 million appropriated in FY 2023 for the Department of Treasury's Tropical Forest and Coral Reef Conservation Act (TFCCA) Programme. -Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency, Minority Business Development account: A rescission of $10,000,000 from the $50 million appropriated in FY 2026 for Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) programmes. -Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education, Higher Education account: A rescission of $69,588,896 from the $70.3 million appropriated in FY 2026 for International Education and Foreign Language, Domestic Programmes. These programmes support institutions in bringing foreign students and faculty to the United States. -Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Healthcare Research and Quality account: A rescission of $27,700,000 from the $345 million appropriated in FY 2026 for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). -Department of Housing and Urban Development, Housing Programs, Housing Counseling Assistance account: A rescission of $56,100,000 from the $58 million appropriated in FY 2025 for Housing Counselling. This programme provides grants for counselling and education on housing matters. These proposals require enactment by Congress to take effect.

The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is adding new regulations, codified as 31 CFR part 516, to implement Executive Order (E.O.) 14404, 'Imposing Sanctions on Those Responsible for Repression in Cuba and for Threats to United States National Security and Foreign Policy', issued on 1 May 2026. These regulations prohibit all transactions identified in E.O. 14404 or any subsequent Executive Orders issued under the national emergency declared in E.O. 14380 of 29 January 2026. It establishes a formal regulatory structure for blocking property, prohibiting transactions involving blocked persons and administering licences and other authorisations. A foreign person can be subject to blocking sanctions where Treasury or State determines that the person falls within one of the Executive Order's criteria. These include involvement in Cuba's energy, defence and related materiel, metals and mining, financial services or security sectors, acting for or on behalf of the Cuban government or a blocked person, owning or controlling a blocked person, materially supporting the Cuban government or blocked persons, holding certain senior positions, or being responsible for serious human rights abuses or corruption related to Cuba. Adult family members of designated persons are also covered by the Executive Order's criteria. Once property is blocked, U.S. persons and persons within the United States generally cannot conduct transactions or dealings involving that property unless authorised. Transfers made in violation of Part 516 can be treated as null and void, subject to the regulatory exceptions and licensing provisions. The regulations also apply the OFAC framework for blocked accounts and establish rules governing the holding and treatment of blocked funds. Foreign financial institutions are a particularly important part of the new framework. Treasury can impose correspondent-account or payable-through-account restrictions, or blocking sanctions, on a foreign financial institution that is determined to have conducted or facilitated a significant transaction for or on behalf of a person blocked under Executive Order 14404. Where a financial institution is placed on the relevant CAPTA List, Part 516 provides a limited 10-day wind-down mechanism for closing affected correspondent or payable-through accounts, together with reporting obligations to OFAC. The rule also preserves certain civilian and humanitarian activity. Non-commercial NGO activities directly benefiting civilians can remain authorised in areas such as humanitarian relief, food and medicine distribution, healthcare, assistance for vulnerable or displaced people, education, environmental protection, democracy-building and peacebuilding, subject to the conditions in Part 516. Personal, non-commercial provision of agricultural commodities, medicines and certain medical devices is also authorised under specified conditions. OFAC has deliberately described the current Part 516 regulation as an abbreviated first version. The agency intends to supplement it with additional interpretive guidance, definitions, general licences and other provisions. This means the 30 September regulation should not necessarily be treated as the final complete regulatory architecture for the Executive Order.

Under the new policy, foreign nationals in the Western Hemisphere may face U.S. visa restrictions where the Department determines that they undermine a democratically elected government through corruption or narcotrafficking activities. The Department characterises such conduct as a threat to security and the rule of law in the Americas. The policy can also extend to the affected person's immediate family members. The legal mechanism is INA §212(a)(3)(C), under which an alien is inadmissible when the Secretary of State has reasonable grounds to believe that the person's entry or proposed activities would have potentially serious adverse foreign-policy consequences for the United States. The Department therefore does not need to establish a new visa category or create a separate immigration programme to implement the restrictions. The initial implementation involved nationals of four countries. In Bolivia, the Department took steps against 12 nationals who had existing visas and their families, while nine additional Bolivian nationals without current visas were made generally ineligible to receive visas. The identified group included prosecutors, judges, a former justice minister, a constitutional magistrate, a former customs official, a police colonel and a private businessman. In Colombia, the Department revoked the visas of businessman Euclides Antonio Torres Romero and Senator Martha Isabel Peralta Epieyu, together with their families. In Ecuador, two nationals and their families were subject to visa restrictions, with existing visas revoked. In Peru, the Department revoked the existing visa of Lima First Circuit Constitutional Court Judge Juan Carlos Núñez Matos and restricted his family. The Department separately publicly designated Bolivia's Attorney General Roger Mariaca under Section 7031(c). That designation makes Mariaca and his immediate family members generally ineligible for entry to the United States. This action should be distinguished from the §212(a)(3)(C) visa restrictions because it rests on a separate statutory authority.

Under the new policy, the Secretary of State may impose visa restrictions on individuals whom the department determines fall within the policy because they knowingly engage in, have engaged in, or facilitate birth tourism to the United States. The policy is grounded in INA §212(a)(3)(C), which concerns foreign-policy-related inadmissibility. The first specifically identified group consists of owners, operators and managers of commercial birth-tourism facilitation networks. These are businesses or organised operations involved in arranging the travel and associated services for foreign nationals seeking to give birth in the United States. The second group consists of visa "fixers" who coach applicants to commit fraud. This is significant because the policy is not limited to the physical organisation of travel. It also reaches people who assist applicants in misrepresenting the purpose or circumstances of their proposed U.S. travel. The third identified group consists of foreign medical providers who knowingly facilitate birth-tourism travel and fraudulent use of the Medicaid system. The State Department therefore links the policy not only to immigration and visa fraud but also to alleged misuse of U.S. public-benefit systems. The policy also covers other individuals who knowingly support, assist or enable commercial birth tourism. This means the categories announced by the State Department are not limited to the specific examples listed above. However, the relevant conduct must fall within the department's stated policy and applicable legal authority. Certain family members may also be covered. The State Department has not stated that every relative of a restricted individual is automatically subject to a restriction, so Goborda should not represent the family-member provision as an automatic family-wide visa ban. The policy does not state that a person who is pregnant is automatically subject to visa restrictions. Nor does it establish a blanket prohibition on pregnant travellers entering the United States. The policy is directed at people who knowingly participate in, facilitate or enable the targeted birth-tourism activity.

Participating states intend to impose, as applicable and in accordance with their respective international and domestic legal obligations, asset freezes; immigration and visa restrictions for members, associates, and supporters of narco-terrorist organisations; and criminal liability for individuals knowingly providing material support, including logistical support, to these organisations. This initial action focuses on 24 specific narco-terrorist groups. Additionally, participating states intend to strengthen cooperation through enhanced intelligence sharing, facilitate access to security technologies, promote human resources training, and expand the exchange of best practices. They also plan to deepen cooperation on investment and economic matters and coordinate common positions in regional and multilateral fora.

The Secretary of Homeland Security has extended the 'Finding of Mass Influx of Aliens' for an additional 180 days, effective from 17 September 2026 until 16 March 2027. This extension maintains the Secretary's authority to seek assistance from state or local law enforcement for immigration officer duties when circumstances involve administering immigration laws that endanger residents across all 50 US states, and where an actual or imminent mass influx of aliens is arriving at the southern border of the United States, presenting urgent circumstances requiring a continued federal response.

All relevant agencies in the United States shall implement appropriate measures to protect American workers from abuse of the H-1B programme and ensure the programme serves the national interest. When processing H-1B petitions, labour condition applications, and visas, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Labour, and the Secretary of Homeland Security must coordinate and consult with the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Education, and the Administrator of the Small Business Administration. These consulting agencies will provide relevant wage, employment, academic, industrial, or other economic information. Furthermore, these departments shall consider whether an employer sponsor has directly or indirectly engaged in layoffs within the previous year or plans future layoffs that negatively affect the employment of similarly situated United States workers when evaluating H-1B labour condition applications, petitions, visas, and entries. Within 30 days of the order's date, the Secretary of Labour, through the Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division, shall review data from previously submitted labour condition applications to determine if further action against sponsoring employers is warranted.

From 21 September 2026, entry into the United States for H-1B specialty-occupation workers covered by the proclamation remains restricted unless the relevant petition is accompanied or supplemented by a $100,000 payment. The Department of Homeland Security is directed to restrict decisions on unpaid covered petitions for H-1B workers who are currently outside the United States for the 12-month period. Employers must obtain and retain documentation proving that the payment was made before filing a covered petition. The Department of State will verify payment during the visa process and approve only applications for which the employer has made the required payment. The restriction does not apply where the Secretary of Homeland Security determines that employing the H-1B worker is in the national interest and does not threaten the security or welfare of the United States. The exception may apply to an individual worker, all workers employed by a particular company, or all workers in an industry. The restriction applies to people who enter or attempt to enter the United States after 21 September 2026 where admission is required to give effect to the approval of a covered H-1B petition, including admission following consular notification, at a port of entry, pre-flight inspection or pre-clearance.

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued guidance in the Policy Manual, Volume 1, Part H, detailing certain flexibilities that may be available to individuals affected by an emergency or unforeseen circumstance. USCIS has discretion to apply these measures on a case-by-case basis upon request. Individuals can request assistance by contacting the USCIS Contact Centre and explaining how the unforeseen circumstance created a need for relief, providing supporting evidence if possible. Flexibilities include extensions and changes of status, fee waivers for certain forms, and expedited processing for replacement of lost or damaged immigration documents. Nonimmigrant workers may have delays in applying for an extension or change of status excused if due to extraordinary circumstances beyond their control. F-1 students experiencing severe economic hardship due to unforeseen circumstances may request off-campus employment authorisation.

The United States Department of State has designated eight entities and three individuals for sanctions under Executive Order (E.O.) 14404. These designations block all property and interests in property of the sanctioned persons that are within the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons. Prohibited transactions include making any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person, and receiving such from them. Foreign persons engaging in transactions with designated individuals/entities or operating in specified sectors of the Cuban economy (energy, defence and related materiel, metals and mining, financial services, or security) are also at risk of sanctions.

The United States will extend sanctions that deny visas to Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) members and Palestinian Authority (PA) officials in accordance with section 604(a)(1) of the Middle East Peace Commitments Act of 2002 (MEPCA). A standing waiver for personnel notified to the PLO Observer Mission to the United Nations will be maintained. The action does not establish a general visa ban on Palestinian citizens. Eligibility for U.S. entry for people outside the defined categories continues to be determined under the applicable U.S. immigration and visa rules.

Under the current Order, a person who has departed from, or was otherwise present in, the DRC, Uganda or South Sudan during the preceding 21 days is subject to the temporary suspension of the right to be introduced into the United States, unless an applicable exception applies. The rule applies regardless of the person's country of origin and expressly includes lawful permanent residents. U.S. citizens and U.S. nationals are excluded. Certain U.S. armed-forces personnel, associated personnel, U.S. government personnel serving overseas and specified family members are also excluded subject to the required conditions. Individual exceptions may additionally be granted through the procedures described in the Order. The CDC has also declined to create a categorical exemption for people whose only presence in a designated country consisted of airside airport transit. The agency states that transit circumstances can vary and that it considers a general presence-based rule more feasible to administer than individual exposure assessments for every traveller. This Order is effective for 30 days, from 11 September 2026 until 4:59 p.m. EDT on 11 October 2026.

The U.S. Secretary of State announced a new visa restriction policy under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. This policy targets foreign nationals responsible for, or complicit in, the enactment or implementation of laws or policies that enable uncompensated land seizures, race-based discrimination, and/or the incitement of imminent violence against members of minority ethnic or racial groups in South Africa. Certain family members of these individuals may also be covered by these restrictions, making them inadmissible to the United States if their entry would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences.

USCIS has reached the statutory H-2B numerical cap for the first half of FY 2027. New petitions seeking H-2B workers subject to that cap can no longer be used to obtain a first-half FY 2027 allocation once USCIS's cap procedures take effect. The H-2B programme has long been subject to a statutory annual cap. The standard statutory limit is 66,000 H-2B workers per fiscal year, divided between the first and second halves of the fiscal year, with 33,000 visas allocated to each half. Workers returning in certain circumstances and workers in other statutory exemption categories are not counted against the cap.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposes to remove the regulation at 8 CFR 214.1(l)(2) that provides an up to 60-day discretionary grace period for nonimmigrants in E-1, E-2, E-3, H-1B, H-1B1, L-1, O-1, or TN classifications (and their dependents) upon cessation of employment. This proposal would restore the policy requiring these nonimmigrants to depart the United States immediately upon failure to maintain the employment or activity that was the basis for their nonimmigrant classification or status, unless they are otherwise authorised to lawfully remain.

The Census Bureau is proposing to formalise new residence criteria in 15 CFR Part 60. Under the proposed general rule, a person's usual residence would be the residence where they lawfully spent the greatest number of days during the census enumeration period, supported by evidence such as tax records. The proposed enumeration period would run from 3 January through 1 April in a decennial census year, with 1 April remaining Census Day. A day at a residence would generally count if the person was physically and lawfully present there for at least one hour. For foreign citizens, the proposed rule would distinguish between legal statuses: Foreign citizens who are also U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents as of 1 April would be counted at their usual residence. Other foreign citizens would not be counted for apportionment. The Census Bureau is considering using administrative records to determine an individual's legal status. The Bureau has access to records from federal agencies, state and local governments and other sources that could be used for this purpose. The proposal also invites comments on whether other immigration statuses should be considered sufficiently similar to lawful permanent resident status to qualify for inclusion. The proposal also establishes specific residence criteria for other groups. These include: People living outside the United States. U.S. military and civilian federal personnel stationed overseas. U.S. military personnel assigned to vessels. Merchant Marine personnel. People born or dying around Census Day. People confined in correctional or detention facilities. People staying in transitory locations such as hotels, motels, campgrounds and marinas. Separately, proposed 15 CFR Part 70 would restrict demographic questions. Questions about race, ethnicity or sexual orientation could not appear on the decennial census questionnaire. Questions about biological sex, date of birth and household relationships could be included for population-count verification. Other demographic questions would generally not require respondents to provide an answer.

The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California issued an order temporarily vacating Policy Memorandum PM-602-0193. USCIS is ordered to resume ordinary adjudication of pending adjustment of status applications for plaintiffs and the certified subclass without applying PM-602-0193, to the extent practicable and in good faith, for the remainder of the Diversity Visa fiscal year.

USCIS is establishing a dedicated International Field Office in Addis Ababa The office is scheduled to begin operations on 9 September 2026 and will handle USCIS immigration matters in Ethiopia The change moves USCIS's operational presence for Ethiopia from a regional model centred on Nairobi toward a dedicated presence in Addis Ababa The establishment of the office does not itself change eligibility requirements for immigration benefits Rather, it changes the location and administrative capacity through which USCIS conducts its international work

As of 1 January 2026, Presidential Proclamation 10998 fully suspends visa issuance for all nonimmigrant and immigrant visa categories for nationals of Afghanistan, Burma, Burkina Faso, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen, and for individuals using travel documents from the Palestinian Authority. It also partially suspends visa issuance for nonimmigrant B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas, and all immigrant visas, for nationals of Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cote D’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Additionally, it partially suspends all immigrant visas for nationals of Turkmenistan. Categorical exceptions previously available under PP 10949 for immediate family, adoption, and Afghan SIVs are no longer available. Limited exceptions exist for certain diplomatic/official visas, ethnic/religious minorities facing persecution in Iran, dual nationals, SIVs for U.S. government employees, and participants in certain major sporting events, as well as Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs).

Under the new OLC interpretation, "State" encompasses all component agencies within a participating state. The mandatory reporting obligations in Section 404(b) and (c) therefore apply to all such agencies, rather than only the agencies administering the relevant federal benefits programme. A participating state must report to DHS a person whom the state knows to be not lawfully present in the United States. The interpretation applies to states participating in the relevant TANF and SSI arrangements and does not mean that every state or every state agency is automatically covered regardless of programme participation. The opinion is prospective. DOJ states that it does not retroactively change existing TANF or SSI funding agreements or permit federal agencies to claw back funding from states that previously complied with the government's 1998 interpretation. States may also reconsider their participation in TANF or SSI going forward. The opinion expressly states that it does not impose a new affirmative legal obligation. DOJ's position is that it is correcting the Executive Branch's previous underenforcement and enforcing an obligation that Congress already enacted in 1996.

When a state chooses to participate in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programmes, all agencies within that state — not only those that administer TANF or SSI benefits — must report individuals known to be not lawfully present in the United States to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The entire state government, including all component agencies, is bound by federal law to share this information.

USCIS will only accept the 08/24/26 edition of Form I-864. This new edition includes a privacy release that authorises USCIS to request information from consumer reporting agencies.

The Department of Labor (Department) is rescinding the regulations at 29 CFR part 42 in their entirety. This action formally removes the established formal procedures for coordinated enforcement activities among the Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and Employment and Training Administration (ETA) concerning migrant and seasonal farmworkers.

On 24 August 2026, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in Red Eagle Law, L.C. v. Edlow, Case No. 26-cv-04850-CRB, granted the plaintiffs' motion for class certification and granted a preliminary injunction against the challenged PM-602-0194 policy. The plaintiffs consisted of people from the affected countries with pending USCIS immigration-benefit applications. The practical effect is that USCIS must resume adjudicating covered immigration-benefit applications instead of continuing to hold them under PM-602-0194. USCIS's own 28 August announcement confirms that the agency will comply with the court order. The relevant country-based group consists of Afghanistan, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Gabon, The Gambia, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe, as well as the separate Palestinian Authority travel-document category. The underlying benefit hold was broad. It covered pending USCIS benefit applications for people covered by PM-602-0194, subject to the memorandum's exceptions. The types of applications potentially affected included benefits such as Form I-485 adjustment of status, Form I-765 employment authorisation, Form I-539 extension/change of status and Form N-400 naturalisation, among other USCIS benefit requests. The exact effect depended on the applicant's circumstances and the particular benefit. The separate asylum policy covered all pending Form I-589 applications regardless of nationality. Therefore, the court-ordered change concerning the asylum hold is broader than the 39-country component. The court order does not mean that USCIS must approve the applications. Applicants must still satisfy the ordinary eligibility, admissibility and other requirements for the benefit they are seeking. The change is that USCIS must adjudicate covered cases rather than keeping them frozen solely under the challenged hold policy.

The Trump Administration has implemented policies resulting in zero releases of undocumented migrants at the border for 15 consecutive months through July. Southern border apprehensions in July were 94% lower than the monthly average under Biden, and refugee admissions in the first ten months of this fiscal year are down almost 90% from 2024. The Working Families Tax Cuts allocated $46.5 billion to finish the border wall, and Texas is set to receive $7.5 billion from the State Border Security Reinforcement Fund to recoup costs related to the border crisis.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has adopted the Interim Final Rule (IFR) as final, making procedural and technical changes to alien registration regulations, including updating the list of immigration forms and processes that meet the requirement. A new Form G-325R, Biographic Information (Registration), and an online process have been established to allow unregistered aliens to comply. The requirement for aliens 14 years or older, staying for 30 days or longer, to register and be fingerprinted remains, with re-registration required within 30 days of turning 14. Aliens aged 18 or older must carry evidence of registration at all times. Failure to comply may lead to criminal and civil penalties.

Autistici/Inventati (A/I Collective) has been designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist. Consequently, all property and interests in property of A/I Collective subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked. All U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with A/I Collective, including making contributions, or providing funds, goods, or services to or for their benefit. Engaging in certain transactions involving A/I Collective may also lead to secondary sanctions on participating foreign financial institutions.

All immigrant visa applications are paused, with appointments for scheduled interviews cancelled.

The Local Cops, Local Crimes Act prohibits local governments and law enforcement agencies in New York State from entering into, modifying, renewing, remaining in, or extending any agreement pursuant to Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). This includes agreements under which an officer or employee may engage in or assist immigration enforcement, or otherwise perform a function of an immigration officer. Existing 287(g) agreements became void and unenforceable on 25 August 2026. The Act also prohibits the use of correctional facilities, juvenile detention facilities, and facilities for youth to house federal civil immigration detainees.

The U.S. government is preparing to revoke B1 (business) and B2 (tourism) visas for foreigners who have applied for or are currently seeking asylum status in the United States. This action will be taken in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department.

The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has established four new Customs-Enforcement Areas (CEAs) in the nearshore waters of South Florida, Central/Southern California, Puerto Rico, and the Gulf Coast of Texas. Within these CEAs, customs officers and agents are now authorised to enforce applicable U.S. laws, including boarding and examining vessels, merchandise, and persons, bringing them into port, and pursuing, seizing, and arresting individuals. This action extends CBP's enforcement authority from 12 NM to 24 NM from the baseline within these designated CEAs, aligning with the U.S. contiguous zone.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposes to establish a $103,265 fee for all H-1B cap-subject petitions, including those eligible for the advanced degree exemption. This proposed fee would be paid at the time of filing and would be in addition to all other applicable fees or payments.

The entry into the United States of aliens as nonimmigrants to perform services in a specialty occupation under section 101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b) of the INA is restricted, unless their petitions are accompanied or supplemented by a payment of $100,000. The restriction includes decisions on petitions for H-1B workers currently outside the United States. This restriction has exceptions for national interest determinations by the Secretary of Homeland Security.

From 1 October 2026: -EOIR will apply the FY 2027 inflation-adjusted OBBBA fees. -The FY 2027 OBBBA fee for an EOIR-26 appeal from an Immigration Judge decision increases from $920 to $950. -After adding the existing $110 EOIR fee, the total becomes $1,060, excluding any applicable biometric fee. -Similar inflation adjustments apply to other OBBBA fees collected by EOIR. -The Annual Asylum Fee uses a different rounding method: its inflation adjustment is rounded down to the nearest dollar rather than the nearest $10.

This document proposes regulations related to the Genealogy Program, aiming to clarify the impact of federal records requirements.