Effective March 10, 2026, Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) joined nine other Canadian airports in offering U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Preclearance. The preclearance allows travelers to complete their U.S. immigration, customs, and agriculture inspection before departure. This is great news for travelers wishing to return to the U.S. in a quicker and
US Immigration
Haiti TPS Update: Employer Checklists for I-9 and E-Verify Compliance Following Agency Guidance
Takeaways
- Current work authorization remains valid for now.
- Employers should update Form I-9s with specific notations according to USCIS/E-Verify guidance (expiration “03-15-2026” and “as per court order”).
- Employers should handle E-Verify consistently and use the 03.15.26 date from the I-9 in E-Verify cases.
Status of Haiti TPS Work Authorization
A federal court in the D.C.
Ninth Circuit Reinstates DHS TPS Termination for Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has reversed a lower court’s order vacating the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua, reinstating the DHS termination.
In granting the stay pending appeal, the Ninth Circuit concluded the government is likely to succeed on the…
Court Halts Termination of Haiti TPS; Venezuela TPS Termination Remains in Effect Pending Appeals
Takeaways
- Haitian TPS will not end 02.03.26 after a federal court stayed DHS’s 11.28.25 termination notice.
- Venezuela TPS is not reinstated despite the Ninth Circuit ruling, because a U.S. Supreme Court stay remains in effect pending further appeals.
- As the latest developments show, TPS rules differ sharply by country, requiring careful, individualized employer review.
On…
DHS Drops One‑Year Abroad Hurdle for Returning R‑1 Religious Workers
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued an Interim Final Rule (IFR) that removes the long‑standing requirement that R‑1 nonimmigrant religious workers who have exhausted the maximum five‑year period in R‑1 status must spend one full year abroad before becoming eligible to return in R‑1 classification.
Under the IFR, an R‑1 nonimmigrant who has…
Federal Court Vacates TPS Terminations for Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua; DHS Separately Ends Somalia TPS
On Dec. 31, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California vacated the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) decisions to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Honduras, Nicaragua, and Nepal, finding that the terminations violated the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). The court concluded that DHS failed to conduct an objective assessment of…
State Department to Suspend Consular Immigrant Visa Processing for 75 Countries Starting 1.21.26
The Department of State is expected to pause consular immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries starting Jan. 21, 2026, according to multiple public reports. This development represents a significant expansion of the Trump Administration’s efforts that include more intensive screening and review of overseas visa applicants.
The government reportedly is undertaking a wide‑ranging…
H‑1B, H‑4 Visa Appointments Rescheduling Begins Amid Expanded Social Media Vetting Policies
U.S. consulates abroad have recently begun postponing a wide range of H‑1B and H‑4 visa interviews, resulting in significant delays in visa processing. Consulates in India have been among the most affected, as India remains the largest source of H‑1B visa holders worldwide.
Beginning in the second week of December, applicants with interviews scheduled between…
Federal Court Upholds Trump Administration $100,000 Fee for Certain H-1B Petitions
A federal judge has granted the Trump Administration’s motion for summary judgment and upheld the legality of the $100,000 fee requirement for certain H-1B visa petitions. Chamber of Commerce of the USA v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, No. 1:25-cv-03675 (D.D.C. Dec. 23, 2025).
President Donald Trump’s Sept. 19, 2025, Presidential Proclamation, “Restriction on Entry…
DHS Announces ‘Weighted Selection Process’ to Allocate H-1B Visas Effective Feb. 2026
- Registrants submitted under higher wage levels will have a better chance of being selected, with positions under the highest wage level having a four times higher