USCIS

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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…

  • The U.S. Supreme Court reversed preliminary injunctions preventing DHS from implementing the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti and Syria.
  • The Court held that the TPS statute bars judicial review of most nonconstitutional challenges to TPS designation and termination decisions.
  • However, the decision itself does not terminate employment authorization or establish new
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  • A federal district court has struck down the $100,000 fee the Trump Administration imposed on certain H-1B petitions.
  • The court ruling could allow affected beneficiaries of approved H-1B petitions obtain visas and travel to the U.S. without having to pay the exorbitant fee.
  • The government is expected to consider appellate options, and employers should
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  • A federal district court has vacated USCIS policies that paused adjudication of immigration benefit requests filed by nationals of 39 countries.
  • The court ruling could allow affected adjustment of status, employment authorization, naturalization, and certain asylum-related applications to proceed.
  • The government is expected to consider appellate options, and employers should continue to monitor developments.
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Physicians from countries subject to the Trump Administration’s immigration benefits pause received sudden but quiet good news on April 30, 2026. USCIS updated its “Strengthened Screening and Vetting” policy alert without any announcement, adding the category of “applications associated with medical physicians” to the list of cases whose adjudication holds may be lifted.

This policy…

  • A new USCIS policy memorandum emphasizes that adjustment of status is a discretionary benefit and that consular processing abroad is the “ordinary” pathway to permanent residence.
  • The memo does not eliminate employment-based adjustment of status or create a formal new rule requiring all applicants to consular process.
  • Significant questions remain, including how USCIS will
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The Department of Labor (DOL) has published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to revise how prevailing wage levels are calculated for the H-1B, H-1B1, E-3, and PERM employment based non-immigrant and immigrant visa programs.

The March 27, 2026, proposal seeks to increase the four-tiered prevailing wage structure for these visa programs by aligning them…

Takeaways

  • Current work authorization remains valid, for now.
  • Employers should update Form I-9s with specific notations according to USCIS and E-Verify guidance (updated expiration and “as per court order”).
  • Employers should handle E-Verify consistently and use the updated expiration date from the I-9 in E-Verify cases.

USCIS and E-Verify have published coordinated employer guidance confirming…