US Government Confirms Earlier Immigration Fines and Sets Deadline for People to Raise Concerns

What changed

The French Court of Cassation issued a significant judgment on 3 July 2026, mandating the recognition of parentage for children born abroad via surrogacy (GPA) in France. This decision applies when a foreign court ruling, designating intended parents, presents guarantees compliant with international public policy. It overrides prior interpretations that would have limited such recognition to the effects of an adoption, ensuring that established filiations are acknowledged as such in France. This clarification aims to uphold the child's best interests, even though surrogacy remains prohibited domestically.

What changed

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has initiated a proposed rulemaking to introduce substantial new fees for Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 nonimmigrant students. This measure, announced on 8 October 2026, aims to enhance the integrity of the immigration system by deterring fraud and protecting the interests of U.S. workers. Under the proposal, an initial OPT application would incur a fee of $70,000, while any subsequent OPT would cost $30,000. Stakeholders have until 9 November 2026 to submit comments on these proposed changes.

What changed

On 20 October 2026, Immigration New Zealand published an announcement on an important Employment Court judgment confirming that New Zealand's ban on charging employment fees can apply even if a payment is requested or made outside the country. The full Employment Court issued the judgment on 8 October 2026 in two related sets of proceedings: Labour Inspector v Top Produce Ltd and Bhatia v Khanna. The Court resolved uncertainty over how section 12A of the Wages Protection Act 1983 applies to recruitment payments made overseas for jobs based in New Zealand.

What changed

On 21 October 2026, the United States Department of State announced new security agreements between the United States and Paraguay. Paraguayan Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez Lezcano and US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau signed the agreements two days earlier, on 19 October 2026, at Paraguay's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The agreements cover two distinct areas: border security and the interception of civilian aircraft. The migration measure is a Memorandum of Intent on border-security cooperation. Under this arrangement, the United States will provide Paraguay with the Personal Identification Secure Comparison and Evaluation System (PISCES), alongside training and technical knowledge transfer. Paraguay's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the system is designed to strengthen immigration controls and help officials monitor passenger movements at points of entry across the country.