E-Verify Status Change Report Now Covers Asylum, Adjustment, and TPS EADs: New Substantive I-9 Violations and 2026 Fine Exposure
As of August 11, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has expanded the E-Verify Status Change Report to include additional categories of Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) that DHS later invalidates. The expansion affects EADs issued to asylum applicants, adjustment-of-status applicants, and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) beneficiaries and applicants. At the same time, U.S. Immigration […]
U Visa Advance Parole After the Ninth Circuit’s September 2026 Ruling: What Petitioners and Families Must Know Before Traveling
On September 14, 2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued a precedential decision in U Visa Appellants v. Director, USCIS, No. 24-6824. The court held that parole for U visa petitioners on the waiting list is discretionary. The Administrative Procedure Act (APA) does not authorize a court to compel USCIS to […]
H-1B Visa 2026: New Executive Order Adds Layoff Scrutiny for Employers and Renews the $100,000 Fee
The H-1B visa 2026 landscape now includes expanded layoff scrutiny, increased interagency data-sharing, and a renewed $100,000 payment requirement for certain H-1B cases. On September 18, 2026, the President signed the Executive Order titled “Enhancing Program Integrity and Interagency Coordination in the Administration of the H-1B Nonimmigrant Visa Program.” The President also issued a separate […]
L-1 Intracompany Transfer Visas in 2026: New Biometric Fees on Extensions and USCIS’s No-RFE Denial Policy
Employers using the L-1 visa to transfer executives, managers, or specialized-knowledge employees must account for two significant developments in 2026. First, a new Department of Homeland Security rule expands the 9-11 Response and Biometric Entry-Exit Fee to additional L-1 extension petitions. Second, a USCIS policy update gives officers broader discretion to deny incomplete petitions without […]
El Salvador TPS in Limbo: What Employers and Salvadoran Workers Must Know About I-9 Reverification and Work Authorization in September 2026
As of September 18, 2026, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for El Salvador remains unresolved. The designation was scheduled to terminate on September 9, 2026. However, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued no formal Federal Register notice extending or terminating the designation. The current USCIS position creates a serious workforce compliance issue. USCIS states […]
DOL’s H-1B and PERM Fraud Crackdown Widens Beyond Tech: What Employers Must Know Before the Next Subpoena
The Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General (DOL OIG) has expanded its 2026 investigation into alleged H-1B and PERM fraud beyond the technology sector. Healthcare employers, labor brokers, staffing companies, and other industries are now within the reported scope of the investigation. Employers should treat this development as a compliance directive. A company does […]
75-Country Immigrant Visa Pause Lifted: What Employers and Families Must Know About Restarted Consular Processing
Updated September 17, 2026 The Department of State has formally ended the 75-country immigrant visa pause and the separate Diversity Visa pause. A September 10, 2026 cable directed U.S. consular posts to resume case-by-case adjudication and reconsider affected cases. The changes follow federal court rulings in Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. v. Rubio and Medani […]
DHS Proposes $103,265 Fee on Cap-Subject H-1B Petitions: What Employers Must Know Before the September 24 Comment Deadline
On August 25, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a notice of proposed rulemaking that would impose an additional $103,265 fee on every H-1B cap-subject petition. The proposed fee would apply to petitions filed under both the regular H-1B cap and the advanced-degree exemption. The fee is not currently in effect. DHS must […]
DACA Renewals in September 2026: 120,000 Cases Pending, Delays at Record Highs, and What Recipients Must Do Now
DACA renewal processing times have increased substantially Many recipients are asking: how long is DACA renewal taking in 2026? The answer is materially longer than in prior years. Approximately 120,000 DACA renewal applications are pending, the highest reported volume on record. At the same point in fiscal year 2025, approximately 37,000 renewal applications were pending. […]
U.S. Citizenship Through Naturalization in 2026: Eligibility, the N-400 Process, and What Applicants Must Know
Naturalization is the legal process through which an eligible lawful permanent resident becomes a U.S. citizen. In 2026, applicants must satisfy statutory eligibility requirements, complete Form N-400 accurately, pass the required English and civics examinations, and demonstrate good moral character. USCIS has also implemented important procedural changes. These include the 2025 civics test, reinstated neighborhood […]
