On September 4, 2025, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) announced that the agency will now be authorized to employ its own law enforcement agents with arrest powers in accordance with the final rule printed in the Federal Register on September 5, 2025.
Read moreHow to Navigate the End of Third-Country Visa Processing for Nonimmigrant Visas
On September 6, 2025, the US Department of State (“DOS”) announced the end of a decades-old practice that allowed nonimmigrant visa applicants to schedule interviews in third countries—places other than their country of nationality or legal residence. The change sweeps broadly, affecting students applying for F-1 and J-1 visas, visitors requiring B-1/B-2 visas, and professionals applying for H-1B, O-1, and other work categories. The announcement comes at the heels of a previous decision announced on July 25th that effective September 2, 2025, all nonimmigrant visa applicants, including applicants under the age of 14 and over the age of 79, will generally require an in-person interview with a consular officer putting an end to the visa drop box or Interview Waiver Program.
Read moreVisa Bond Pilot Program for Visitors Effective August 20, 2025
On August 5, 2025, the US Department of State (“DOS”) published a temporary final rule in the Federal Register that will test a visa bond pilot program for one year commencing August 20, 2025. Nationals of certain countries, currently Malawi and Zambia with more countries to be added to the list, will potentially be subject to the bond requirement when applying for B-1/B-2 visas for travel to the US. Under the program, consular officers, at their discretion, may require certain nonimmigrant visa applicants to pay a refundable bond of $5000, $10,000, or $15,000 before a visa is issued. Visas issued under the pilot program will be valid for three months and a single entry into the US. US Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) will admit the visa holders for a maximum stay of 30 days in most cases.
Read moreNew CBP Rule Changes How Airlines Report Passenger Gender Information
On July 7, 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) instructed airlines and other travel carriers on a new rule that they must submit "M" (male) or "F" (female) in the sex field of the pre-departure information they transmit to CBP through the Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS), even if the traveler's passport contains a sex indicator other than M or F or does not otherwise indicate the sex of the traveler. This new rule, which has been in practice since July 14, 2025, is based on Executive Order 14168, Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.
Read moreAre Your I-9s in Order? What Every Employer Needs to Know About I-9 Compliance, Audits, and E-Verify
When onboarding new employees, most US employers are aware they must complete Form I-9 for every employee, but far fewer are prepared when the government comes calling. Given President Trump’s immigration directives, which focus heavily on enforcement efforts, the probability surrounding possible increases in site visits and surprise audits by various agencies including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) , maintaining accurate I-9 records is not an option, but a legal obligation with real consequences. Is your business ready?
Read moreThe New York Times: “Trump’s Purge of Foreign Workers Arrives at Amazon’s Warehouses”
The US economy is starting to be shaken up by the Trump Administration’s revocation of humanitarian parole programs that gave foreign nationals the ability to work legally in the country. President Trump’s tough stance on immigration and recent government actions have forced many immigrants, who were legally residing in the US and had authorization to work, out of their jobs. As the Trump administration revoked humanitarian parole programs for nationals of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela (“CHNV”) and Temporary protected status (“TPS”) for nationals of Venezuela and Haiti the numbers of foreign nationals with valid work permits has taken a dive. As a result, Amazon has been faced with a dwindling work force in their warehouses around the country after certain employees who were eligible to work under CHNV or TPS could not obtain new work authorization documents and were consequently dismissed in late June as a result of their loss of work authorization.
Read moreStudent‑visa Applicants Now Required to Unlock Social Media and This Could Expand to All Nonimmigrant Visas
On June 18, 2025, the US Department of State (“DOS”) issued a statement announcing it is resuming visa services for foreign students with an updated social media policy. We had previously covered the issues students faced and the announcement by DOS on May 27, 2025 that they would not be scheduling new appointments for student visas. Under the new guidelines, which are expected to be implemented within five business days all F‑1, M‑1, and J‑1 visa applicants are instructed to set their social media profiles to “public.” The purpose? Consular officers are now expected to review “applicants’ entire online presence”, not just social media bios.
Read morePresident Trump Admits Immigration Crackdown is Hurting the US
President Trump’s New Travel Restrictions
On June 4, 2025 the Trump Administration signed a proclamation barring nationals from twelve countries, primarily from Africa and the Middle East, from entry into the US and restricting the entry of nationals hailing from seven other countries. The travel ban is set to go into effect as 12:01 AM EST on Monday, June 9, 2025.
Read moreChanges in Student Visa Rules: What It Means for International Students
Over the last few days, the Trump Administration has introduced changes to its student visa policies, prompting concerns within academic and international communities. On May 27, 2025, the US State Department issued a directive by Secretary of State Marco Rubio instructing embassies worldwide to pause the scheduling of new interviews for student and exchange visitor visas (F, M, and J categories). This measure is part of a broader review aimed at enhancing the screening and vetting processes for these applicants, including the implementation of expanded social media evaluations. Notably, individuals with already scheduled interviews are not affected by this pause.
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