IMMIGRATION UPDATE – June 17, 2025
BREAKING NEWS
Trump Administration Considering Adding 36 countries to Travel Ban – On Saturday, June 14 Secretary of State Marco Rubio sent a memo to U.S. diplomats, advising them that governments of the named nations would be given 60 days to meet certain conditions, or its nationals would be denied admission to the U.S. According to Rubio, the reason these countries were selected for a prospective travel ban include having large numbers of citizens who overstayed their prior U.S. visas; having no competent government authority to ensure reliable identity documents or other civil documents; being plagued by “widespread government fraud;” or allegations of “antisemitic and anti-American activity in the United States” by nationals of those countries.
Notwithstanding the above, the memo also stated that if a named country was willing to accept deported third-country nationals; that is, deportees from the U.S. who are not nationals of the destination country, that would apparently override concerns of fraud, antisemitism, and anti-American activity.
The countries of concern listed in the memo are Angola; Antigua and Barbuda; Benin; Bhutan; Burkina Faso; Cabo Verde; Cambodia; Cameroon; Democratic Republic of Congo; Djibouti; Dominica; Ethiopia; Egypt; Gabon; Gambia; Ghana; Ivory Coast; Kyrgyzstan; Liberia; Malawi; Mauritania; Niger; Nigeria; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Sao Tome and Principe; Senegal; South Sudan; Syria; Tanzania; Tonga; Tuvalu; Uganda; Vanuatu; Zambia; and Zimbabwe.
It bears noting that several of the countries listed are currently subject to a State Department-issued “Level 4: Do Not Travel” advisory due to extreme danger and human rights concerns such as terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, hostage taking, armed conflict and unjust detention. It would seem that removing a person from the U.S. to a country designated as a human rights violator would itself be a human rights violation. This concern was not raised in the memo.
Security Alert: U.S. Embassy Jerusalem (June 16, 2025) – U.S. Embassy in Israel — Location: Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza
As a result of the current security situation and ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, the U.S. Embassy has directed that all U.S. government employees and their family members continue to shelter in place in and near their residences until further notice.
The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem will be closed Tuesday, June 17. This includes the Consular Sections in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. There will be no passport (emergency or regular) or Consular Report of Birth Abroad services.
The U.S. Embassy is not in a position at this time to evacuate or directly assist Americans in departing Israel. Additional information: https://il.usembassy.gov/security-alert-u-s-embassy-jerusalem-29/
Ben Gurion Airport remains closed, and there are no commercial or charter flights operating from there. Seaports in Israel are also closed.
Land crossings to Jordan are currently operating and are scheduled to be open on Tuesday, June 17, with the following hours:
- Allenby/King Hussein Bridge: 0800 – 1430.
- The Northern (Jordan River/Sheikh Hussein) crossing: 0830 – 1430.
- The Southern (Yitzhak Rabin/Wadi Araba) crossing: 0800 – 2000.
Flights are available from Jordan on a limited basis. Please check with your airline and expect delays and cancelations.
The land crossing to Egypt at Taba is also operating and is open 24 hours a day. There are limited international flights available at Sharm al-Sheikh.
Nonimmigrant Visa Applications – the Tel Aviv Nonimmigrant Visa Section has advised: “Due to the ongoing current security situation in Israel, the Embassy will be closed to the public this week. We will notify applicants whether their appointment scheduled for next week will take place closer to the appointment day.” Ambassador Huckabee reported some minor damage to the Embassy Branch Office building in Tel Aviv.
The visa application process in Israel has come to a full stop. To put the current security situation in perspective, there are 2 or 3 waves of incoming missiles every night. The Embassy has ordered its personnel to shelter in place until further notice, and yesterday authorized the voluntary departure of family members and others in Mission Israel. If the situation does not change soon, we may expect to see a more comprehensive ordered departure of U.S. government personnel.
Israeli citizens in the US pursuant to 90-day ESTA/ Visa Waiver admission who cannot timely depart the US due to the conflict should contact their LAC attorney for assistance.
Individuals who were planning to apply for a visa in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem in the near future should contack their LAC attorney for assistance.
HEADLINES
State Dept. Cable Orders Resumption of Harvard Student and Exchange Visitor Visa Processing After Court Order – After a court order, Secretary of State Marco Rubio sent a cable to the field ordering the resumption of Harvard international student and exchange visitor visa processing.
USCIS Releases Statement on Termination of CHNV Parole Programs – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services released a statement on termination of parole programs for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans.
USCIS Changes Validity Period for Any Form I-693 Signed On or After November 1, 2023 – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services clarified that a Form I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, signed by a civil surgeon on or after November 1, 2023, is only valid while the application with which the Form I-693 was submitted is pending.
DHS Announces Fine Forgiveness for Those Who Self-Deport With CBP Home App – The Department of Homeland Security said that undocumented persons who self-deport from the United States through the CBP Home App will receive forgiveness of any civil fines or penalties for failing to depart. Individuals considering self-deportation should seek qualified immigration counsel prior to taking action to ensure full understanding of the legal ramifications.
President Trump Authorizes Private Company to Construct and Operate a Border Crossing – President Trump released a memorandum permitting Green Corridors, LLC, to construct, maintain, and operate a commercial elevated guideway crossing on the U.S. border with Mexico in Laredo, Texas.
State Dept. Releases Visa Bulletin for July – The bulletin includes final action dates for employment-based preference cases, along with dates for filing of employment-based visa applications and updates on diversity visas (DV), including DV rank cut-offs that will apply in August.
After Trump Post, DHS Orders Pause in ICE Raids on Restaurants, Hotels, and Farms – Following a post by President Trump on Truth Social, the Department of Homeland Security has ordered a pause on deportation-related raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on worksites in the agricultural, hospitality, and restaurant industries.
Trump Issues Travel Ban on 12 Countries and Partial Ban on 7 Countries, With Exceptions –President Trump issued a proclamation, “Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats.” The proclamation includes a country-by-country list of restrictions and exceptions.
Federal Judge Temporarily Halts Trump Administration’s Block on Harvard International Student Visas – After an emergency request from Harvard University, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order to stop the Trump administration from blocking visas for new international students coming to Harvard.
DHS Ramps Up ‘Crackdown’ on Visa Overstays – Following a Boulder, Colorado, attack perpetrated by an Egyptian national, the Department of Homeland Security said that U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will be “ramping up the review of immigration records and will take immediate appropriate actions” to crack down on visa overstays.
DHS Terminates TPS for Nepal and Cameroon in August – Termination of Temporary Protected Status for Nepal and Cameroon will take place in August.
USCIS Seeks Comments on New Biographic and Employment Identifiers on Immigration Forms – The new collection is intended “to establish enhanced screening and vetting standards and procedures.”
DETAILS
State Dept. Cable Orders Resumption of Harvard Student and Exchange Visitor Visa Processing After Court Order
After a court order, Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly sent a cable to U.S. consular offices ordering the resumption of Harvard international student and exchange visitor visa processing, after having ordered posts to deny such visa applications recently based on a proclamation from President Trump.
The cable stated, “Effective immediately, consular sections must resume processing of Harvard University student and exchange visitor visas,” and “no such applications should be refused.”
Previously, Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly sent a cable ordering U.S. embassies and consulates to deny visa applications for Harvard international students after President Trump issued a related proclamation and fact sheet. The proclamation singled out Harvard due to national security concerns. Under the proclamation, entry into the United States was to be suspended for any new Harvard nonimmigrant student under an F, M, or J visa, and Secretary Rubio was directed to consider revoking existing F, M, or J visas for current Harvard students who met the proclamation’s criteria.
The fact sheet said that the proclamation did not apply to those attending other U.S. universities through the Student and Exchange Visitor Program and exempted those whose entry was deemed in the national interest.
USCIS Releases Statement on Termination of CHNV Parole Programs
On June 6, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released the following statement on termination of parole programs for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans:
On May 30, 2025, the Supreme Court of the United States issued an order lifting the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts’s April 14, 2025 Preliminary Injunction that stayed parts of the March 25, 2025 Federal Register notice titled, “Termination of Parole Process for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans (CHNV).” See Noem v. Svitlana Doe, 605 U.S. ___ (2025). With this decision, [the Department of Homeland Security] may proceed with terminating parole granted under the CHNV parole programs and with revoking any employment authorization based on being paroled under the CHNV parole programs. Aliens whose parole is terminated and whose employment authorization is revoked will receive notification in their myUSCIS account.
USCIS Changes Validity Period for Any Form I-693 Signed On or After November 1, 2023
On June 11, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it is updating its USCIS Policy Manual to clarify that a Form I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, signed by a civil surgeon on or after November 1, 2023, is only valid while the application with which the Form I-693 was submitted is pending. If that application is withdrawn or denied, the Form I-693 is no longer valid. USCIS said this guidance is effective immediately and applies to applications pending or filed on or after June 11, 2025.
USCIS noted that under this updated policy, if a person submitted Form I-693 with their Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, and then they withdrew their Form I-485 or USCIS denied it, if they submit a future Form I-485, they must submit a newly completed Form I-693 signed by a civil surgeon.
USCIS also said that it may require a person who otherwise would not be required to undergo an immigration medical examination “to submit a Form I-693 as a matter of discretion, if the evidence indicates that there may be a public health concern.”
DHS Announces Fine Forgiveness for Those Who Self-Deport With CBP Home App
On June 9, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that undocumented persons who self-deport from the United States through the CBP Home App will receive forgiveness of any civil fines or penalties for failing to depart. Currently, DHS noted, a person can be fined nearly $1,000 per day on which they do not depart after a final deportation order. Additionally, a person can also be fined for failing to depart in a timely manner after a voluntary departure order. Individuals considering self-deportation should seek qualified immigration counsel prior to taking action to ensure full understanding of the legal ramifications.
DHS said it has issued more than 9,000 fine notices to undocumented persons for a total of almost $3 billion. In addition, DHS said it has made the CBP Home Mobile App more user-friendly by eliminating certain steps and making it easier for people to self-deport.
President Trump Authorizes Private Company to Construct and Operate a Border Crossing
On June 9, 2025, President Trump released a memorandum permitting Green Corridors, LLC, to construct, maintain, and operate a commercial elevated guideway crossing on the U.S. border with Mexico in Laredo, Texas.
The memo explains that the border facilities referenced in the permit:
consist of the elevated guideway and bridge over the Rio Grande which connects inland terminals near Monterrey, Mexico, in the state of Nuevo Leon and near Interstate 35, north of Laredo, Texas, its approaches, and any land, structures, installations, or equipment appurtenant thereto located on the United States side of the international boundary between the United States and Mexico, located just downstream from the Laredo-Colombia Solidarity International Bridge at the connection between Texas State Highway 255 and the Nuevo Leon State Highway Spur.
State Dept. Releases Visa Bulletin for July
The Department of State’s Visa Office has released the Visa Bulletin for July 2025.
The bulletin includes final action dates for employment-based preference cases, along with dates for filing of employment-based visa applications and updates on diversity visas (DV), including DV rank cut-offs that will apply in August.
After Trump Post, DHS Orders Pause in ICE Raids on Restaurants, Hotels, and Farms
According to reports, the Department of Homeland Security has ordered a pause on deportation-related raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on worksites in the agricultural, hospitality, and restaurant industries.
The change in policy for those industries came after President Trump posted on Truth Social, “Our great Farmers and people in the Hotel and Leisure business have been stating that our very aggressive policy on immigration is taking very good, long time workers away from them, with those jobs being almost impossible to replace. … We must protect our Farmers, but get the CRIMINALS OUT OF THE USA. Changes are coming!”
Trump Issues Travel Ban on 12 Countries and Partial Ban on 7 Countries, With Exceptions
On June 4, 2025, President Trump issued a proclamation, “Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats.” The proclamation includes a country-by-country list of restrictions and exceptions.
The proclamation:
- Fully restricts and limits the entry of nationals of the following 12 countries: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen; and
- Partially restricts and limits the entry of nationals of the following 7 countries: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
“These restrictions distinguish between, but apply to both, the entry of immigrants and nonimmigrants,” the proclamation states. The restrictions, which were opposed by immigration advocacy organizations, do not apply to lawful permanent residents and certain other categories, such as athletes coming to compete in major sporting events (e.g., the World Cup), diplomats, and those granted asylum or refugee status. Kelli Stump, President of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, said that the restrictions “prevent the best and brightest from contributing to our innovation, and harm U.S. businesses that are understaffed and may have to close because they cannot employ the already vetted and approved foreign workers.”
Federal Judge Temporarily Halts Trump Administration’s Block on Harvard International Student Visas
On June 5, 2025, after an emergency request from Harvard University, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order to stop the Trump administration from blocking visas for new international students coming to Harvard. International students make up about a quarter of Harvard’s student body.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly sent a cable ordering U.S. embassies and consulates to deny visa applications for Harvard international students after President Trump issued a related proclamation and fact sheet. The proclamation singled out Harvard due to national security concerns. The fact sheet states:
- The Proclamation suspends the entry into the United States of any new Harvard student as a nonimmigrant under F, M, or J visas.
- It directs the Secretary of State to consider revoking existing F, M, or J visas for current Harvard students who meet the Proclamation’s criteria.
- The Proclamation does not apply to aliens attending other U.S. universities through the Student Exchange Visa Program (SEVP) and exempts aliens whose entry is deemed in the national interest.
DHS Ramps Up ‘Crackdown’ on Visa Overstays
On June 4, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it is ramping up a “crackdown” on visa overstays following a Boulder, Colorado, attack perpetrated by an Egyptian national. DHS said that U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will be “ramping up the review of immigration records and will take immediate appropriate actions.”
According to the DHS statement:
This urgent crackdown comes after authorities arrested 45-year-old Mohammed Sabry Soliman for setting at least eight Americans on fire in a shocking terrorist attack in Boulder, Colorado. Soliman is an Egyptian national who had overstayed his visa in the U.S. and remained in the country unlawfully since 2022. Soliman faces federal hate crime and multiple state felony charges.
DHS Terminates TPS for Nepal and Cameroon in August
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is terminating Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Nepal and Cameroon:
- Nepal: The TPS designation for Nepal, which was set to expire on June 24, 2025, will terminate at 11:59 p.m. “local time” on August 5, 2025, according to a Federal Register notice published on June 6, 2025. After August 5, nationals of Nepal (and those having no nationality who last habitually resided in Nepal) who have been granted TPS under Nepal’s designation will no longer have TPS.
- Cameroon: The TPS designation for Cameroon, which was set to expire on June 7, 2025, will terminate at 11:59 p.m. “local time” on August 4, 2025, according to a Federal Register notice published on June 4, 2025. After August 4, nationals of Cameroon (and those having no nationality who last habitually resided in Cameroon) who have been granted TPS under Cameroon’s designation will no longer have TPS.
DHS noted that affected people can use the CBP Home app to report their voluntary departure from the United States.
USCIS Seeks Comments on New Biographic and Employment Identifiers on Immigration Forms
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) seeks comments on a new information collection of “certain biographic and employment identifiers on immigration forms.” USCIS said the collection is necessary to comply with section 2 of Executive Order (EO) 14161, “Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats.”
The new collection is intended “to establish enhanced screening and vetting standards and procedures to enable USCIS to assess an alien’s eligibility to receive an immigration-related benefit. This data collection also is used to help validate an applicant’s identity and to determine whether such grant of a benefit poses a security or public-safety risk to the United States,” USCIS said.
Comments will be accepted until July 28, 2025. All submissions received must include the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control Number 1615-NEW in the body of the letter, the agency name, and Docket ID USCIS-2025-0006. Comments should be submitted via the Federal eRulemaking Portal website at https://www.regulations.gov under e-Docket ID number USCIS-2025-0006.
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PUBLICATIONS AND ITEMS OF INTEREST
Know your rights. A number of organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union (English and Spanish), the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc., the National Immigrant Justice Center, and the Asian Law Caucus, have published resources highlighting immigrants' rights in the United States, including "know your rights" information and what documents they may want to carry when traveling inside the United States. ACLU of Northern California has also released Know Your Rights: U.S. Airports and Ports of Entry See also Information for Employers -- “What to Do if Immigration Comes to Your Workplace” : NELP_EmployerGuide_Eng_2025_Final-.pdf. Note the important distinction between administrative and judicial warrants, and a public lobby versus private areas of a business. New FAQ on effect of changes to parole and TPS for SAVE agencies. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has released a new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page, FAQs on the Effect of Changes to Parole and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for SAVE Agencies. The FAQs address questions that Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements agencies may have regarding the implementation of various changes to parole and Temporary Protected Status, including through published Federal Register notices. DHS noted that it has also taken actions to terminate parole before the parole expiration date for certain people.
IMMIGRATION AGENCY INFORMATION/PROCESSING TIMES
U.S. Customs and Border Protection:
Accessing I-94 Information: https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/home
Department of Labor:
PERM and Prevailing Wage Processing Times: https://flag.dol.gov/processingtimes
State Department:
Visa Appointment Wait Times: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas.html
Monthly Immigrant Visa Bulletin: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin.html
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services:
Processing Times: https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/
Case Status Online: https://egov.uscis.gov/
GOVERNMENT ENGAGEMENTS
E-Verify webinars: E-Verify has added a webinar with a focus on acceptable documents for Form I-9 verification, and has updated its calendar of webinars.
SAVE webinars: Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) has updated its calendar of webinars.
Immigration agency X (formerly Twitter) accounts:
- EOIR: @DOJ_EOIR
- ICE: @ICEgov
- Study in the States: @StudyinStates
- USCIS: @USCIS
Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers: ABIL is available on X (formerly Twitter): @ABILImmigration
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This information was prepared in collaboration with ABIL, the Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers, comprised of twenty U.S. immigration lawyers who head some of the top immigration practices in the country. Larrabee Albi Coker LLP is an active member of ABIL.
Legal Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not substitute for legal advice based on the circumstances of a specific matter.