Otieno B. Ombok

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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Oct. 29, 2025, it is ending the practice of USCIS automatically extending validity of employment authorization documents (EADs) of foreign nationals who have timely filed filing renewal applications in certain employment authorization categories. Such foreign nationals will need a formal approval of their renewal application and receipt…

USCIS has released guidance on President Donald Trump’s Sept. 19, 2025, Presidential Proclamation, “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers,” introducing a new $100,000 fee requirement for certain H-1B nonimmigrant visa petitions.

USCIS on Oct. 20, 2025, issued guidance clarifying which petitions are subject to the Proclamation’s new requirements, how and when the $100,000 payment…

The U.S. Supreme Court denied the petition for review in Save Jobs USA v. Department of Homeland Security, No. 24-923, on Oct. 14, 2025, effectively ending a long-running legal challenge to employment authorization for certain H-4 visa holders — spouses of H-1B visa holders. The outcome maintains the status quo for many H-4 visa…

Without notice, E-Verify appeared back online late on the evening of Oct. 7, 2025. As of 2:00 p.m. (ET) on Oct. 8, 2025, E-Verify is still online and appears fully operable. Employers can resume submitting cases.

The E-Verify website had gone dark on Oct. 1, as expected, due to the federal government shutdown. Visitors to…

On Sept. 19, 2025, President Trump issued a Presidential Proclamation titled “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers” (the “Proclamation”). The Proclamation requires employers to pay a $100,000 fee with any new H-1B petition for foreign workers outside the United States, effective Sept. 21, 2025. The stated purpose is to address perceived misuse of the…

The current government funding expired at the end of the fiscal year without a continuing resolution, resulting in a government shutdown. A federal government shutdown can create ripple effects across immigration processes, but the impact varies depending on the agency.

Since USCIS is fee-funded, most operations — like processing petitions and applications — continue as…

Proclamation “Restriction On Entry Of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers,” released on Sept. 19, 2025 (the “Proclamation”), directs the Department of Labor (DOL) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to reform prevailing wage leveling and change the H-1B registration to a weighted selection format.

Specifically, the Proclamation’s Section 4, “Amending the Prevailing Wage Levels,” includes the following…

President Donald Trump signed a Proclamation on Sept. 19, 2025, requiring a $100,000 fee for H-1B nonimmigrants seeking to enter the United States (“Proclamation”). Initial reports suggested the restriction applied broadly, including to current visa holders. Over the weekend, the White House, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)…

On Sept. 19, 2025, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation titled Proclamation on Restriction of Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers (the “Proclamation”) imposing significant restrictions on H-1B nonimmigrants seeking to enter or reenter the United States.

Though the Proclamation does not appear to make a distinction between new applicants and current visa holders, as of…

Takeaways

  • As of March 19, 2025, the SSA has paused automatic SSN issuance for many immigrant applicants, including those receiving new work permits and newly naturalized citizens.
  • Affected individuals must now apply in person at SSA offices.
  • Employers should adjust onboarding processes accordingly and educate HR teams to avoid disruptions.

The Social Security Administration (SSA)…