Beginning October 20, 2025, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) will implement the 2025 Civics Test, announced on September 17, 2025. The agency has stated that the updated test aims to ensure applicants demonstrate a deeper understanding of US history, government, and civic responsibilities, with the goal of naturalizing individuals who are “fully assimilated and will contribute to America’s greatness.” Applicants who file Form N-400 on or after October 20, 2025, will be required to take the new test. Those who filed, or have pending applications, before that date will continue to take the 2008 Civics Test.
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“Camouflage” by Ai Weiwei
Seeking a new landscape within the bounds of New York City, this week we ventured to Roosevelt Island, a narrow strip of land nestled between Manhattan and Queens. While the island is known for its striking views and the Four Freedoms Park at its southern tip, which honors President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, our visit was inspired by a more recent addition: “Camouflage”, a new work by Chinese contemporary artist Ai Weiwei, and a part of the Art X Freedom public art initiative. Unveiled on September 10, 2025, to mark both the 80th United Nations General Assembly across the East River and the anniversary of the end of World War II, Weiwei’s installation reimagines the space surrounding the existing bronze sculpture of Roosevelt, building a pavilion that incorporates animal motifs. These elements are a nod to both the island’s historical and current wildlife and the toll of human conflict. Adding an interactive layer to the experience, visitors are invited to tie ribbons inscribed with their thoughts on freedom to the pavilion’s netting, transforming the piece over time, one ribbon at a time. “Camouflage” is a moving and immersive tribute to both its setting and enduring themes of humanity and resistance. By blending memory, environment, and participation, it creates a powerful and evolving reflection on what freedom means today.
When Speech Has Consequences – Implications for Visa Issuance
On October 14, 2025, the US Department of State (“DOS”) reported they had revoked the visas of six foreign nationals who had made seemingly mocking or celebratory comments via social media about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot while speaking at a university event in Utah. Citizens from Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Mexico, Paraguay, and South Africa were among those affected. Posting on X, the DOS thread included the social media posts or comments in question, with the users’ handles or names redacted and identified only by their country of origin, followed by “Visa revoked.”
Read moreCelebrate Humanity
“Dear New York” by Brandon Stanton
This week, we happened upon “Dear New York,” a striking new exhibition at Grand Central Terminal. Conceived by artist Brandon Stanton, who is best known for his work “Humans of New York,” and produced in collaboration with the MTA, Pentagram, Juilliard, Korins Studio, and NYC Public Schools, the installation transforms one of the city’s most iconic public spaces into a powerful celebration of everyday New Yorkers.
Replacing the advertisements that typically adorn the space, Stanton’s immersive art installation of vivid photographs fills the terminal. Each photograph captures authentic moments and stories from across the five boroughs. In the grand concourse, 50-foot projections cycle through portraits and quotes, set to a moving live piano performance that adds emotional depth to the experience. A particularly meaningful section features portraits of individuals nominated by NYC students, accompanied by heartfelt notes explaining why their nominee inspires them.
“Dear New York” is more than an art installation, it’s a love letter to the city and its dwellers, as well as a reflection of its diversity, resilience, and creativity. It also highlights the transformative potential of public art in urban spaces. If you're in the area within the next two weeks, through October 19th we encourage you to visit and celebrate humanity.
The Art of Diplomacy
“Don’t ASK” by Allison Katz
As a slight chill descends on New York, we sought comfort from the changing seasons at one of our favorite places for public art, the High Line, to observe Allison Katz’s Don’t ASK. Hovering above the intersection of 18th Street and 10th Avenue, Don’t ASK features two oversized chickens mid-crosswalk, playfully referencing the classic anti-joke: “Why did the chicken cross the road?” But rather than providing an answer, the installation leans into uncertainty, highlighting possibility, anticipation, and the unknown. Katz’s piece reflects her interest in roads and transportation systems, not just as infrastructure, but as symbols of thought in motion. The road becomes a metaphor for ideas, transitions, and open-ended futures. Visually, Don’t ASK mimics the towering advertisements that define New York City’s skyline. However, instead of selling a product, it reclaims the billboard format to provoke reflection rather than consumption. In a city of constant movement and noise, Don’t ASK offers a quiet interruption, a thoughtful invitation to pause, consider, and embrace not knowing.
Helpful Q and A’s on the New H-1B Visa Rule
Uncertainty continues to surround the new presidential proclamation on H-1B visas, as critical operational details remain unresolved. Employers, attorneys, and H-1B beneficiaries alike should proceed with caution and be prepared for additional guidance and possible changes in the days ahead. We have published a more detailed overview of the proclamation, but in response to the immediate concerns raised by our community, we have prepared answers to some of the most pressing questions. These responses are based on the latest guidance from United Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) and other official sources.
Read moreNavigating the New H-1B Executive Action: Advisory for H-1B Visa Holders
On Friday, September 19, 2025, President Trump issued a proclamation, “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers,” putting into effect a ban on H-1B specialty occupation employees from entering the United States as of September 21, 2025, unless their employer had paid a $100,000 fee for the sponsored employee. The announcement was unclear and seemed to imply that the newly imposed fee was applicable to all H-1B visa holders who were outside of the US on the 21st of September. As a result, a frenzy besieged the employment-based immigration community with many H-1B workers receiving “urgent e-mails…with travel advisories to remain in the US and asking those outside the country to return before the 12:01AM deadline on Sunday, September 21st.
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