IMMIGRATION UPDATE 10.15.26
IMMIGRATION UPDATE October 15, 2026 HEADLINES DHS Proposes $70,000 Fee for Optional Practical Training – The Department of Homeland Security announced a proposed rule that would require U.S. universities to pay a $70,000 fee for each F-1 student’s initial Optional Practical Training (OPT) work authorization and $30,000 for subsequent OPT requests. Trump Admin Suspends Microsoft […]
Approved and Pending H-1B Cap Petitions as of October 1, 2026
October 1st marks the beginning of fiscal year 2027 and the earliest start date for many cap-subject H-1B petitions. Below are important reminders for approved H-1B petitions and for petitions that remain pending. H-1B Petitions Approved as Change of Status versus Consular Notification An H-1B petition approved with a change of status will take effect […]
IMMIGRATION UPDATE 9.25.26
IMMIGRATION UPDATE – Month in Review September 25, 2026 HEADLINES Federal Court Postpones Effective Date of Final Rule Limiting Duration of Status for F, J, I Nonimmigrants – A federal court in Massachusetts issued a preliminary injunction that postponed a Department of Homeland Security final rule that would have ended duration-of-status (D/S) admissions for F, […]
IMMIGRATION UPDATE 9.1.26
IMMIGRATION UPDATE – Month in Review September 1, 2026 HEADLINES Visa Bulletin For September 2026 – The Department of State’s Visa Bulletin for September shows no movement in the employment-based categories. Trump Administration Plans to Revoke Visas of B Visitors Who Applied for Asylum – According to reports, the Trump administration plans to begin revoking […]
DHS Proposes New $103,265 Fee for H-1B Cap Petitions
On August 25, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) formally published a proposed rule that would impose a new $103,265 filing fee on all cap-subject H-1B petitions, including both the regular H-1B cap (65,000 visas) and the advanced degree exemption (20,000 visas). If implemented, this fee would be assessed in addition to all existing […]
Update: DHS Not Currently Enforcing $100,000 H-1B Fee
Recent litigation has affected the implementation of the $100,000 fee applicable to certain H-1B petitions per the September 19, 2025 Presidential Proclamation “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers.” On July 24, 2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit denied the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) request to stay (pause) a June […]
USCIS Reaches Fiscal Year 2027 H-1B Cap
On July 17, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it has received a sufficient number of petitions to reach the congressionally mandated 65,000 H-1B visa regular cap and the 20,000 H-1B visa U.S. advanced degree exemption, known as the master’s cap, for fiscal year (FY) 2027. USCIS will send non-selection notices to registrants […]
IMMIGRATION UPDATE 6.10.26
IMMIGRATION UPDATE – May 11, 2026 BREAKING DEVELOPMENTS Congress Passes Immigration Enforcement Funding Bill – Congress passed a $70 billion bill to fund the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection agencies for three years. It now goes to President Trump for his signature. Federal Court Blocks $100,000 H-1B Fee – On […]
LAC Legal Alert: New USCIS Memorandum Suggests Potential Shift in I-485 Adjustment of Status Adjudications
On May 22, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a new policy memorandum (PM-602-0199) stating that I-485 adjustment of status (AOS) applications are a discretionary form of relief and should be viewed as an “extraordinary” benefit rather than a routine pathway to permanent residence. USCIS also issued a press release emphasizing that it views […]
IMMIGRATION UPDATE 5.11.26
IMMIGRATION UPDATE – May 11, 2026 HEADLINES New ICE I-9 Inspection Policy Increases Risks for Employers – A new fact sheet indicates a change in policy that increases the risks for employers by reclassifying some former technical violations as substantive. May Visa Bulletin Includes Advances in Various Immigrant Visa Categories, Possible Retrogression for India EB-5 […]