USCIS Publishes Federal Register Notice for Gold Card Immigrant Petition Form I-140G

By C. Matthew Schulz

USCIS appears to be moving forward with an employment-based immigrant petition mechanism for the Trump Gold Card program, using a dedicated Form I-140G rather than the standard Form I-140.

USCIS’s New Adjustment of Status Memo: Discretion, “Administrative Grace,” and the Limits of Agency Power

By C. Matthew Schulz

USCIS has issued a new policy memorandum that affects one of the most important benefits in U.S. immigration law: adjustment of status, the process that allows eligible applicants already in the United States to become lawful permanent residents without leaving the country for immigrant visa processing at a U.S. consulate.

EB-5 Dates to Watch: September 30, 2026, January 1, 2027, and September 30, 2027

By C. Matthew Schulz

Three dates are now especially important for anyone considering or already in EB-5 immigrant investor immigration. 

September 30, 2026, is the statutory “protection from expired legislation” date for certain regional center cases filed on or before that date. 

January 1, 2027, is when EB-5 minimum investment amounts are scheduled to adjust automatically for inflation. 

ICE Narrowed the I-9 Cure Window — and Employers Now Face Immediate Fines for Common Paperwork Errors

By C. Matthew Schulz

ICE changed enforcement rules for employers by reclassifying many common Form I-9 mistakes from “technical or procedural” failures into “substantive” violations. 

That distinction matters. 

The agency has long had a cure period to allow employers to correct technical and procedural mistakes and avoid penalties. That cure period applies only to technical or procedural failures. 

USCIS Strengthens Screening and Vetting of Foreign Nationals: What Changed on March 30, 2026

By C. Matthew Schulz

On March 30, 2026, USCIS announced that it has strengthened screening and vetting for foreign nationals seeking entry or immigration benefits. USCIS said it has spent the past several months revising its screening and vetting procedures and is now building a more layered vetting plan that uses both classified and unclassified information along with expanded criminal-history review. 

Labor Department Major Wage Rule Proposal Would Harm the U.S. 

By C. Matthew Schulz

U.S. employers should take notice: a newly proposed Department of Labor rule could significantly raise wage requirements across key immigration programs—making it harder, more expensive, and more uncertain to recruit and retain highly skilled foreign professionals.

The US State Department Increased Number of Countries Whose Citizens May Be Required To Post Bonds ... Again

By C. Matthew Schulz

The U.S. Department of State expanded significantly the visa bond program for B-1/B-2 visitors. 

U.S. consular officers may require certain applicants from designated countries to post a refundable bond of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 as a condition of visa issuance

The U.S. State Department Stopped Issuing Immigrant Visa for Nationals of 75 Countries.

By C. Matthew Schulz

The U.S. Department of State instructed consular officers to stop the issuance of immigrant visas for nationals of 75 countries in a January 14, 2026 cable to all diplomatic and consular posts. Immigrant visa interviews and adjudications continue, but prospecitve immigrants from the listed countries cannot receive newly issued immigrant visas at this time.

US Department of Homeland Security Resumes Expedited Airport Screening for U.S. Citizens and International Travelers

By C. Matthew Schulz

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has restarted processing for the Global Entry and TSA PreCheck trusted traveler programs after a temporary shutdown earlier this month. 

After a pause disrupted expedited airport screening services for many international and domestic travelers, DHS has now resumed enrollment processing and operations.

New Rule for US Employers of Religious Workers

By C. Matthew Schulz

After a religious worker reaches the five-year R-1 maximum, the worker still must depart the United States—but DHS no longer requires a one-year stay abroad before the worker can seek readmission.