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In a final rule released Aug. 10, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that employers with at least 50 U.S. employees, with more than half of whom holding H-1B, L-1A or L-1B status, must pay the Biometric Fee, $4,000 for an H-1B petition or $4,500 for an L-1 petition, for all extension-of-status petitions.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on Aug. 5, 2026, issued Policy Alert PA-2026-05 updating and significantly shifting the USCIS Policy Manual provisions governing evidence, denials, and post-decision actions. The update clarifies that USCIS, in its discretion, may deny immigration benefit requests that lack required initial evidence or otherwise fail to establish eligibility without first…

On Aug. 5, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia confirmed that its prior order staying the termination of Haiti’s Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation is no longer in effect following action by the U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. As a result, the court-ordered…

Federal immigration authorities reportedly are using domestic air travel information to locate and arrest noncitizens suspected of overstaying their authorized periods of admission.

Authorities have made at least 27 arrests of noncitizens suspected of overstay at airports in at least nine states across the country, from California to Virginia, according to an ABC News report.

The Department of State has announced a significant restructuring of visa operations across Africa, effective Aug. 1, 2026. Under this initiative, routine immigrant and nonimmigrant visa processing at certain U.S. embassies and consulates will be consolidated into designated regional visa processing hubs or centers. According to the Department of State, this realignment is intended to…

The Department of Homeland Security has published a final rule replacing the long-standing “duration of status” (D/S) framework for F-1 academic students and J-1 exchange visitors with fixed periods of admission. Effective Sept. 15, 2026, the rule also establishes a new extension of stay process administered by USCIS for individuals who need additional time to…

  • Federal courts have temporarily blocked or postponed TPS terminations for, Burma (Myanmar), Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen that were scheduled to end between November 2025 and May 2026.
  • TPS beneficiaries from these countries retain legal status and work authorization, for now.
  • Employers should review affected Form I-9s and complete Supplement B reverification,
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  • USCIS and E-Verify have issued updated employer guidance for TPS beneficiaries from Burma, Ethiopia, Haiti, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
  • For all seven countries, employers should use July 10, 2026, as the current date for Form I-9 and E-Verify purposes.
  • Employers should not assume July 10 marks the automatic end of TPS-based employment
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In today’s landmark Trump v. Barbara decision, the U.S. Supreme Court held that children born in the United States are citizens at birth regardless of whether their parents are present in the country unlawfully or temporarily. The Court concluded that Executive Order 14160 violates the Citizenship Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and therefore cannot be…

Takeaways

  • DHS rule cleared by the White House and would replace the long-standing “duration of status” (D/S) framework with fixed admission periods.
  • Extension filings and increased government oversight may create additional administrative burdens and uncertainty for visa holders.
  • The proposal has not been finalized, and the current D/S system remains in effect.

A proposed Department…