The H-1B cap process has long been criticized as a pure lottery that rewards luck rather than economic value. Beginning with the 2026 cap season, that criticism is no longer academic. The Department of Homeland Security has finalized a new regulation that fundamentally alters how H-1B registrations are selected, replacing the traditional random lottery with…
Continue reading ›
What We Know So Far About the Reported 75-Country Immigrant Visa Suspension and What It Means for You On the morning of January 14, 2026, many immigrants and U.S. petitioners have seen alarming headlines claiming that the United States has imposed a “75-country immigrant visa ban” effective January 21, 2026. Understandably, this language has caused…
Continue reading ›
The U visa is one of the most powerful yet misunderstood forms of immigration relief available to undocumented immigrants and noncitizens who have been victims of crime in the United States. Created by Congress to encourage crime victims to come forward without fear of deportation, the U visa provides lawful immigration status, work authorization, and…
Continue reading ›
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a significant policy update on December 22, 2025, rewriting the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) self-petition guidance in Volume 3 of the USCIS Policy Manual. The update, effective immediately for all VAWA requests pending or filed on or after that date, refines evidentiary expectations, codifies long-standing practices,…
Continue reading ›
The K-1 fiancé visa is often portrayed as a fast and romantic gateway to permanent residence in the United States. A U.S. citizen files a petition, the foreign fiancé enters the country, the couple marries, and a green card follows. What is rarely emphasized is how unforgiving the law becomes if that marriage does not…
Continue reading ›
Trump’s recent proclamation aimed at expanding medical marijuana and cannabidiol research has generated widespread confusion, particularly among immigrants and noncitizens. Headlines and social media posts have led many to believe that marijuana is now “legal under federal law” or that past marijuana use no longer matters for immigration purposes. That assumption is wrong, and relying…
Continue reading ›
California employers are once again facing significant employment law changes scheduled to take effect in 2026. Following the conclusion of the 2025 legislative session, Governor Gavin Newsom signed a broad package of labor and employment legislation that will materially affect workplace compliance, documentation, pay practices, and enforcement exposure across the state. Many of these new…
Continue reading ›
1. What’s happening? Recent reporting reveals that the U.S. Department of State (DOS) issued a consular-cable instructing officers to treat certain chronic health issues — including cancer, diabetes, obesity and metabolic or neurological diseases — as factors in determining whether a visa applicant may become a “public charge.” In effect, individuals seeking U.S. immigrant visas…
Continue reading ›
The interim final rule published by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) as part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulatory agenda (DHS Docket No. USCIS-2025-0271; RIN 1615-AD05) fundamentally alters the framework for automatic extensions of Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) for renewal applicants. The rule amends 8 C.F.R. § 274a.13 and related provisions,…
Continue reading ›
Published October 24, 2025 by Thomas M. Lee H.R. 875, officially titled the Jeremy and Angel Seay and Sergeant Brandon Mendoza Protect Our Communities from DUIs Act of 2025, represents one of the most significant proposed changes to immigration enforcement in recent years. Introduced by Representative Barry Moore of Alabama, the bill seeks to amend…
Continue reading ›
