ICE’s Revised Form I-9 Inspection Fact Sheet: The New “Notice of Expired or Rescinded Immigration Status,” Warning Notice Limits, and the 30-Day Hearing Deadline Employers Must Track
ICE revised its Form I-9 inspection fact sheet on August 31, 2026. The revisions were widely reported on October 1, 2026. They materially affect how employers should prepare for inspections, classify Form I-9 errors, respond to employee work-authorization issues, and preserve administrative hearing rights. The revised fact sheet emphasizes the following requirements: Employers generally receive […]
H-1B Visa 2026: The First Wage-Weighted Cap Year Begins October 1. What Employers Must Verify, Document, and File
The FY2027 H-1B cap year begins on October 1, 2026. It is the first cap year governed by the new wage-weighted selection process. The rule changes how USCIS selects cap-subject registrations, but it does not eliminate eligibility for lower-wage positions. Employers must now treat the H-1B registration as the beginning of a documented compliance process. […]
USCIS Final Rule Raises EB-5 Fees 114% by November 30, 2026: What Investors, Regional Centers, and Employers Must Know
USCIS published a final rule in the Federal Register on September 30, 2026, establishing a new fee schedule for the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program. The rule becomes effective on November 30, 2026. Any EB-5 application, petition, or request postmarked on or after November 30, 2026, must include the new USCIS filing fees. The final rule […]
DHS’s Nationwide ICE Enforcement Surge in Sanctuary Jurisdictions: I-9 Compliance and Preparation Steps for Employers and Families
On September 26, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security announced a nationwide ICE “public safety surge” targeting jurisdictions that DHS describes as sanctuary jurisdictions. The announcement followed reports that Immigration and Customs Enforcement was expanding personnel and enforcement activity in multiple states. DHS identified the following focus jurisdictions: California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Washington, D.C. Illinois […]
October 1, 2026 Immigration Changes: What Employers, Families, and Foreign Workers Must Do Before Fiscal Year 2027 Begins
Fiscal Year 2027 begins on October 1, 2026. The transition creates three critical September 30 deadlines and several changes affecting employers, HR departments, foreign workers, families, green card applicants, and immigration court filings. This roundup reflects information verified as of September 28, 2026. Government agencies may issue additional guidance after publication. Three Immigration Deadlines Close […]
Form I-864 Credit Check Takes Effect October 1, 2026: What Green Card Sponsors Must Do Before the Deadline
The new Form I-864 credit-report authorization becomes mandatory for filings submitted on or after October 1, 2026. Sponsors preparing family-based green card cases must use the correct edition of Form I-864, Form I-864A, or Form I-864EZ and provide complete supporting evidence. The change follows a rapid USCIS rollout, a federal lawsuit, and a subsequent 30-day […]
USCIS Ends Next-Business-Day Filing Extensions for Age-Based Deadlines: What Families, SIJ Petitioners, and Employers Must Know Before October 23
On September 23, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued Policy Alert PA-2026-15, “Definition of Day for Purposes of Filing Deadlines.” The policy becomes effective October 23, 2026, and applies to paper-based filings received on or after that date. The guidance changes how USCIS applies the regulatory definition of “day” under 8 CFR 1.2. […]
October 2026 Visa Interview Screening: What Employers and TN, TD, and I Visa Applicants Must Know
As of September 25, 2026, the U.S. Department of State’s reported expansion of online presence review is scheduled to take effect on October 1, 2026. The reported change will extend social media and online screening to applicants for I, TN, and TD visas. Applicants in these categories should prepare for additional review of their publicly […]
USCIS Policy Alert PA-2026-14: New “Reason to Believe” Inadmissibility Rules for Trafficking and Money Laundering. What Green Card, Naturalization, and Humanitarian Applicants Must Know
Updated September 24, 2026 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued Policy Alert PA-2026-14 on September 23, 2026. The alert adds new guidance to Volume 8, Part D of the USCIS Policy Manual concerning three criminal-related grounds of inadmissibility: Controlled substance trafficking under INA § 212(a)(2)(C) Significant trafficking in persons under INA § 212(a)(2)(H) Money […]
ICE Worksite Enforcement in 2026: The I-9 Audit Surge, Higher Penalties, and Washington’s New Employee Notice Rule Effective October 1
As of September 2026, employers face substantially greater worksite immigration-compliance risk. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has increased Notices of Inspection (NOIs), expanded the categories of Form I-9 errors that may result in immediate penalties, and continued enforcement activity in industries that rely on large workforces. Reported data indicates that food-processing plant audits increased […]
