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,…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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,…
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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…
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By Thomas Lee, Esq.Immigration and Employment AttorneyLee Law Offices, APLC — Los Angeles, California The recent clarification from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) regarding President Trump’s proposed $100,000 H-1B visa fee has generated intense discussion across the immigration and business communities.According to the new USCIS guidance, the $100,000 fee applies only to new H-1B…
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Why Worker Classification Matters In California, one of the most important issues in employment law is the difference between an employee and an independent contractor. The label matters because employees are legally entitled to protections such as minimum wage, overtime pay, meal and rest breaks, workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance, and protection from wrongful termination. Independent…
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The immigration world is buzzing after U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced it will once again review and approve new DACA applications. This is the first time since 2021 that Dreamers—undocumented young people who arrived in the United States as children—will have the opportunity to apply for protections under the Deferred Action for Childhood…
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