Want to keep up with newcomer policy updates in the U.S.? Every month, Global Cleveland publishes our newcomer policy update so that you can stay informed about the latest news.

This month’s Newcomer Update at a glance:

• Trump Imposes $100,000 fee for H-1B visas

• Bill Introduced to Create Program to Expand Protection of Unaccompanied Migrant Children

• TPS Ends for Syria

• A bipartisan – and bicameral – coalition reintroduced the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act (HWRA) earlier this month.
• The bill would recapture 40,000 unused visas and distribute them to physicians and nurses.
• Aimed at alleviating the healthcare workforce shortage, it has bipartisan sponsorship from Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Dick Durbin (D-IL)
• The bill has had strong support from the medical sector, with the American Hospital Association, and the American Medical Association being among the dozens of major organizations to have endorsed the legislation
• https://www.aha.org/news/headline/2025-09-11-congress-reintroduces-aha-supported-bipartisan-workforce-bill-supporting-foreign-nurses-physicians

• Congresswoman Nancy Mace introduced the No More Missing Children Act, which would create a new program, to protect unaccompanied migrant children from human trafficking
• The new program would implement new DNA vetting, GPs monitoring of children and sponsors, more check ins and put more stringent vetting on those who can house Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC)
• From 2021-2025, over 32,000 unaccompanied children were unaccounted for by immigration officials
• https://mace.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-nancy-mace-introduces-bill-end-unaccompanied-alien-child-crisis

• Congressmen Gabe Vasquez of New Mexico introduced the Strengthening Our Workforce Act which would allow for a two-year conditional status for non-citizens in certain fields designated as critical.
• Criteria include paying a fine, maintaining employment, and remaining present in the US during the conditional status
• Applicants would be eligible for lawful permanent residency after the conditional status
• The bill has four co-sponsors, all of whom are Democrats.
• https://vasquez.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-vasquez-introduces-bill-strengthen-americas-labor-force-and-support

• In an executive order, President Trump has announced a $100,000 fee for new H-1B workers, marking a major overhaul of the H-1B program
• Citing a need to raise revenue and to curb abuse of the program, the President’s announcement was issued from the Oval Office alongside a further rollout of the Gold Card Visa
• The executive order has provisions for the fee to be waived, and subsequent announcements from the White House confirmed it will not apply to existing visa holders
• https://www.npr.org/2025/09/19/g-s1-89680/trump-adds-100-000-fee-for-high-skilled-foreign-workers-in-major-visa-overhaul

• A proposal to eliminate the duration of status policy for F-1 and J-1 visa holders drew opposition from the higher ed community, who cited the serious impact it could have on the country’s university system and its economy
• The proposal was announced in August and would impose a fixed term for these visas of four years, after which a lengthy process would be required to extend it.
• The American Council on Education, which opposed the rule, said that it was incompatible with the way that university programs operate today and would create unnecessary bureaucracy.
• The rule has seen widespread opposition and has raised concerns it could reduce the number of international students studying in the US and cause a negative impact on the US economy
• https://www.acenet.edu/News-Room/Pages/Proposed-Visa-Rule-Would-Hurt-Global-Talent-Pipeline.aspx

• Following widespread confusion, the White House confirmed that the new $100,000 H-1B fee will not apply to existing visa holders, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt announced via social media
• Leavitt further confirmed that the fee would exclusively apply to new petitions and that those who hold H-1B visas can travel to and from the United States as normal.
• Following the announcement of the H-1B fee, many visa holders had rushed back to the United States fearing they would be forced to pay the fee to re-enter.
• https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-new-h-1b-visa-fee-will-not-apply-existing-holders-axios-reports-2025-09-20/

• Federal immigration authorities streamlined the process to apply for the H-2A temporary agricultural worker visa.
• The new rules, which go into effect on October 2nd, allow for petitioners to electronically file the new I-129 form, and the USCIS to immediately begin processing these petitions while the Department of Labor review the request.
• USCIS officials cited the need to support American farmers, and said that legal pathways such as this were beneficial to the US
• https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/dhs-streamlines-the-filing-process-for-certain-agricultural-workers

• The Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that the Temporary Protected Status designation for Syria would be cancelled.
• Syria was embroiled in a civil war from 2011 until late last year, when rebel groups overthrew the authoritarian government of President Bashar al-Assad
• Citing that the conditions in Syria no longer prevent its citizens from safely returning to Syria, TPS status was revoked
• https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/secretary-noem-announces-the-termination-of-temporary-protected-status-for-syria

• USCIS announced changes to the US Naturalization Civics test.
• The test will expand from 10 to 20 questions asked during interviews, and about 25% of the 128 possible questions are new or revised, with the rest being unchanged from the previous version
• The action reimplements some changes initially unveiled in December of 2020, before being reversed the next year.
• Applicants over 65 continue to be eligible for a simplified version
• https://www.eb5insights.com/2025/09/22/uscis-unveils-changes-to-naturalization-test-in-multi-step-overhaul-of-american-citizenship-standards/

• Citing serious repercussions for America’s healthcare system, the American Hospital Association (AHA) publicly called on the Trump administration to provide exemptions for healthcare workers from the new $100,000 H-1B fee.
• AHA President Rick Pollack said that the proposal could force a reduction in the services” hospitals can provide if the exemption was not granted
• The American Medical Association made similar calls, also citing the importance of immigrants and international physicians to the country’s healthcare system.
• https://www.aha.org/news/headline/2025-09-29-aha-urges-administration-make-health-care-personnel-exempt-h-1b-visa-changes

• The Department of Labor announced a new law enforcement initiative aimed at combatting fraud and abuse in the H-1B program
• Dubbed Project Firewall it will investigate fraudulent applications, illegal displacement of us workers by H-1b workers, wage theft or underpayment by countries, or misrepresentation of job duties
• A key change is the increased role of the Secretary of Labor in signing off on investigations
• https://www.boundless.com/blog/project-firewall-h1b-enforcement

• Non-Immigrant Visa applicants will mostly be required to schedule their interview at a US embassy or consulate in their country of nationality or residents.
• As wait times differed drastically, previously applicants would schedule interviews in less busy diplomatic locations
• The changes do not apply to everyone; A, G, some C, and NATO visas are exempt, as are any visa that is covered by agreements with the United Nations. Nationals and residents of countries where the US does not have a diplomatic presence are able to conduct interviews in specified third countries
• https://www.boundless.com/blog/new-us-policy-restricts-interview-locations-for-nonimmigrant-visas

• The US State Department announced a temporary pause on the issuance of new visas for foreign commercial truck drivers.
• The issue came to prominence after a deadly crash caused by a truck driver who made an illegal and dangerous turn, leading to concerns about the standards for Commercial Driving Licenses issued in some states for foreign drivers.
• The American Trucking Association, a leading industry group, supported the pause, citing that fraudulent entities were fast tracking applications for CDLs without sufficient training
• https://www.amundsendavislaw.com/alert-an-uncertain-road-the-trump-administrations-pause-on-new-visas-for-commercial-truck-drivers

• The State Department announced that the EB-2 visa cap, designated by federal law, had been reached for fiscal year 2025
• Legislation specifies that the annual limit for EB-2s by 28.6% of the worldwide employment limit; the State Department had issued this number for the year at the start of September
• Annual limits will reset at the start of the new fiscal year in October, at which point consulates will be able to again issue EB-2 visas.
• https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/annual-limit-reached-in-the-eb-2-category.html

• Immigration attorneys are in the process of filing lawsuits over the Executive Order Issues by President Trump imposing a $100,000 fee on H-1B visas
• The lawsuit may be joined by the US Chamber of Commerce, the country’s largest business lobby.
• The group polled members in September over their views on presenting a legal challenge to the executive order
• https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-09-24/us-chamber-tests-members-will-to-fight-trump-on-h-1b-visas

Want to keep up with newcomer policy updates in the U.S.? Every month, Global Cleveland publishes our newcomer policy update so that you can stay informed about the latest news.

This month’s Newcomer Update at a glance:

• State Department to Vet Visa-Holders for Israel Criticism
• ICE Brings Back Retirees
• State Department to Vet Visa-Holders for Israel Criticism

• A bill proposed this summer by Rep. Gary Click would make it a crime to enter Ohio if in the United States without authorization
• Violators could be put in jail for one year and subject to a $500 fine
• The bill has passed in other states before but has been the subject of lawsuits.
• House Speaker Matt Huffman, a Republican, declined to endorse the bill in a statement to reports, citing the federal governments role in immigration enforcement.
• https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/state/ohio-legislators-propose-immigration-bills-aligned-with-federal-enforcement

• Most nonimmigrant visas will be subject to a $250 fee, under the terms fo the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law on July 4th
• B-1/2, F-1, H-1B, L-1, O-1, and TN visas are among those affected.
• The fee, called the Visa Integrity Fee, is not waivable, but can be refunded at the conclusion of the visa.
• https://www.boundless.com/blog/visa-integrity-fee/

• Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar, a Florida Republican, introduced a bill intending to deliver major reform of the immigration system.
• The bill has support from both parties, and had 22 sponsors or cosponsors.
• The bill would have several key provisions:
  • major funding for border security and enforcement
  • mandatory use of E-Verify
  • restrictions on and changes to the asylum program
  • protections for Dreamers, giving them legal status and a path to permanent residency
  • A 7 year earned legal status that undocumented immigrants would be eligible for
  • an overhaul of visa categories
• https://salazar.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-salazar-introduces-historic-bipartisan-dignity-act-finally-fix-americas

• The US State Department restricted most non-immigration and non-diplomatic visas to three months for citizens of four African countries
• The four countries affected are Ethiopia, Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroon
• Authorities in Nigeria disputed the administrations statement that they were seeking more reciprocal visa policy
• https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx23ywg9w82o

• Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been in the midst of a labor crunch after the Trump administration’s emphasis on deportations has led to more demand for officers
• The agency, who’s budget has more than tripled, is now offering major incentives to former officers, as part of a project entitled Operation Return to Mission, including a $50,000 signing bonus.
• President Trump plans on hiring an additional 10,000 agents for ICE
• https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/18/us/ice-recruit-retiree.html

• The Trump administration deported a group of migrants to the small African nation of Eswatini (sometimes known as Swaziland, its former official name), saying their home countries would not take them.
• The immigrants had all been serving time in prison for major offenses, and were sent to Eswatini as part of plans to deport immigrants to ‘third countries’
• However, the Eswatini government released a statement saying that it and the US, as well as the International Organization for Migration, would be sending the migrants to their countries of origin
• https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/16/world/africa/eswatini-trump-migrants-deportation.htm

• US Citizenship and Naturalization Services announced that it had reached the 65,000 visa cap for H-1Bs as well as the 20,000 addition slots reserved for those with advanced degrees.
• USCIS will no longer be able to accept new petitions for the 2026 Fiscal Year unless they are cap-exempt
• Cap exempt petitions include transfers and exemptions for current H-1B employees. Some organizations applying may also be cap-exempt.
• The H-1B cap, mandated by congressional legislation, is regularly reached as the visa has remained in-demand across the country
• https://www.boundless.com/blog/h1b-visa-cap-fy2026/

• In a three-country deal, ten United States citizens and permanent residents detained in Venezuela were released, in exchange for the simultaneous release of 250 Venezuelan nationals deported from the US and held in El Salvadorian prisons.
• The Trump administration claimed the Venezuelans deported to El Salvador had ties to organized crime, which critics have disputed
• Their release has been something of a cause célèbres for Venezuela’s government, which has been accused of detaining Americans as a way of gaining leverage
• Among the Americans released was Lucas Hunter, detained on Colombian soil. near the Venezuelan border last year.
• https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/18/world/americas/venezuela-us-prisoner-swap-migrants-el-salvador.html

• Democracy Forward led a group of legal organization who filed a lawsuit against Immigration and Customs Enforcement to try to prevent them from arresting people at courthouses
• The tactic, used since this spring, can enable quick deportation, but critics have accused it of violating due process
• Plaintiffs on the lawsuit include 12 immigrants who had entered the country without authorization and applied for asylum
• https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/16/nyregion/trump-ice-arrests-lawsuit-immigrants.html

• In a testimony in court, the leader of the Bureau of Consular Affairs said that calling for limiting military aid to Israel, denouncing Zionism, or particularly harsh condemnation of Israel’s actions in Gaza would be factors that could lead to a student losing his or her visa
• The statement comes after an executive order in January ordering agencies to investigate antisemitic actions on college campuses.
• Joe Armstrong, the Consular Affairs leader, said that vetting was necessary for national security, and that if done improperly could allow people into the country who could commit acts of terrorism.
• https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/18/us/politics/us-visa-revocations-israel.html

• The case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a prominent and long running controversy in the US and El Salvador, saw a new development, as federal agents admitted they had not spoken with the government’s leading witness.
• Abrego Garcia, an El Salvadorian man who had been living in Maryland, was deported to El Salvador and imprisoned there, and became the subject of a high-profile legal and political battle, was returned to the United States to face a criminal trial in Tennessee.
• Unusually, the Justice Department has said that it only would continue prosecution if he remained in custody, otherwise they have suggested they could drop the charges and pursue deportation.
• https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/16/us/politics/kilmar-abrego-garcia-trump-deportations.html

• An ongoing controversy in Cincinnati over the detention of an Egyptian-born man who was a chaplain at a local hospital led to major protests in the city
• The chaplain, an Islamic Imam named Ayman Soliman, says he fears for his life in Egypt, and was arrested earlier this month by immigration enforcement agents
• The protest crossed the John Roebling Bridge, linking Cincinnati with suburbs in Kentucky, where at least 13 people were arrested, including journalists covering the protest.
• https://apnews.com/article/immigration-protest-cincinnati-arrests-hospital-chaplain-8cce0f80673ba54fc48fd660f2e4dc0f

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Financial Gift

Want to contribute to the growth and success of our region? Your individual contribution will make a significant difference in our success. Your donation is tax-deductible. Our 501(c)3 EIN Number: 27-5245539.

Sponsorship

We are looking for partners interested in getting their organization in front of our highly-engaged audience of International Newcomers and community leaders.

Financial Gift

Want to contribute to the growth and success of our region? Your individual contribution will make a significant difference in our success. Your donation is tax-deductible. Our 501(c)3 EIN Number: 27-5245539.

Sponsorship

We are looking for partners interested in getting their organization in front of our highly-engaged audience of International Newcomers and community leaders.

Financial Gift

Want to contribute to the growth and success of our region? Your individual contribution will make a significant difference in our success. Your donation is tax-deductible. Our 501(c)3 EIN Number: 27-5245539.

Sponsorship

We are looking for partners interested in getting their organization in front of our highly-engaged audience of International Newcomers and community leaders.

Financial Gift

Want to contribute to the growth and success of our region? Your individual contribution will make a significant difference in our success. Your donation is tax-deductible. Our 501(c)3 EIN Number: 27-5245539.

Sponsorship

We are looking for partners interested in getting their organization in front of our highly-engaged audience of International Newcomers and community leaders.

Financial Gift

Want to contribute to the growth and success of our region? Your individual contribution will make a significant difference in our success. Your donation is tax-deductible. Our 501(c)3 EIN Number: 27-5245539.

Sponsorship

We are looking for partners interested in getting their organization in front of our highly-engaged audience of International Newcomers and community leaders.

Want to keep up with newcomer policy updates in the U.S.? Every month, Global Cleveland publishes our newcomer policy update so that you can stay informed about the latest news.

This month’s Newcomer Update at a glance:

• Social Media Must be Public for Certain Visas
• Pause on Student Visas Ends
• Immigration Enforcement Focus Shifted Away from Farms and Hospitality

• A protest was held against House Bill 1 and its Senate companion bill SB 88 in Columbus.
• The bill, currently in the public safety committee would prohibit the ownership of property by governments, companies, or people from several countries deemed foreign adversaries in much of the state.
• The bill has attracted controversy as it would apply to property within 25 miles of critical infrastructure, a category that would include much of the state, including many areas in the Cleveland metro area.
• https://spectrumnews1.com/oh/columbus/news/2025/06/24/protestors-statehouse-hb1-and-sb88

• The budget cut and border security bill that has been debated in Congress would have several impacts on immigration, including:
  • An increased budget for Immigration and Customs Enforcement
  • $46.5 billion for border barriers
  • Increased spending on immigrant detention facilities
  • An expansion of the immigration court system, which has for years been overburdened with cases
  • An end to fee-free asylum applications, which will now cost $1,000
• https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/4-ways-trumps-big-bill-could-change-the-u-s-immigration-system 

• The US Citizenship and Immigration Services have made several changes to the process for getting marriage based green cards.
• Three forms have been revised, the I-485 (adjustment of status), Form I-29F (a visa for a fiancé) and a more minor change to the I-130 (petition for alien relative)
• They also changed rules around medical form submission and payments must now be separately.
• COVID-19 vaccination is no longer required.
• https://www.boundless.com/blog/uscis-quietly-tightens-marriage-green-card-procedures/

• President Trump called for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to expand their efforts on deportation in major cities with Democratic Party run city governments.
• Trump specifically cited Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York City in the announcement.
• This comes in the wake of widespread protests, some of which turned violent, in Los Angeles over immigration enforcement raids
• https://edition.cnn.com/2025/06/16/politics/trump-immigration-democratic-deportation-efforts

• The US government announced changes to F, M, and J visas that will require applicants to adjust the privacy settings of all their social media to public
• Applicants are also required to list all social media handles used in the past five years on the DS-160 form.
• The change comes as the application for these visas have resumed after a pause. The state department has begun vetting social media of visa applicants earlier this year.
• https://ml.usembassy.gov/u-s-requires-public-social-media-settings-for-f-m-and-j-visa-applicants/

• The US State Department ended a month long pause on the applications for student visas, after unveiling new regulations on social media vetting for perspective applicants.
• Applicants social media settings must be public under the new regulations
• The applications were halted in May, in an executive order that was rescinded by the new policy
• https://apnews.com/article/student-visas-trump-social-media-6632a2c585245edcd6a63594345dd8c7

• CNN reported that the Trump administration planned on action to revoke protections from people who entered the United States unlawfully and later applied for asylum
• Asylum seekers who entered the country legally would not be affected by the change
• It is believed that around 250,000 people would be affected by the policy, which the USCIS has not formally announced.
• https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/25/politics/migrants-asylum-claims-deportations?iid=cnn_buildContentRecirc_end_recirc

• In June, Trump administration officials pivoted away from immigration enforcement on the agricultural, hotel, and restaurant sectors.
• President Trump publicly said that the crackdown was hurting American businesses in the agricultural and hospitality sector.
• The Agricultural Secretary Brooke Rollins reportedly discussed the affects of immigration raids on American farms, echoing concerns by some in rural areas that the immigration crackdown there was having unintended consequences.
• https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/13/us/politics/trump-ice-raids-farms-hotels.html

• President Trump announced a new travel ban, restricting entry for nationals of twelve countries.
• The twelve countries with a ban on entry are Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
• Several categories of people are exempt, including those with green cards, Afghan allies, and professional athletes traveling for the World Cup or Olympics, both of which are scheduled to be held in the US during the President’s term.
• Additional countries were subject to less stringent restrictions
• https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/06/restricting-the-entry-of-foreign-nationals-to-protect-the-united-states-from-foreign-terrorists-and-other-national-security-and-public-safety-threats/

• A report indicated that the Trump administration may ban travel from up to 36 countries, following a ban on 12 countries announced earlier in June
• Concerns cited for the restrictions included non cooperation with deportations and high rates of visa overstays.
• The report stated that the countries could be subject to restrictions if changes were not made within 60 days
• The 36 countries were: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cote D’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Ethiopia, Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, South Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
• https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-administration-weighs-adding-36-countries-travel-ban-memo-says-2025-06-15/

• Texas ended a practice of giving undocumented students in state tuition, siding with the Department of Justice who argued a law allowing it – the Texas Dream Act – was unconstitutional.
• Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton supported ending the practice, but this effort has been met with opposition and a lawsuit by students affected
• A legislative effort to repeal the Texas Dream Act failed to pass earlier this year.
• https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/14/texas-undocumented-students-tuition-explainer/

Want to keep up with newcomer policy updates in the U.S.? Every month, Global Cleveland publishes our newcomer policy update so that you can stay informed about the latest news.

This month’s Newcomer Update at a glance:

• Ohio Bill Restricting Foreign Owners of Property Sees Opposition in Hearings
• International Student Interviews Paused, New Social Media Searches Proposed
• Harvard Enrollment Executive Order Blocked in Court

• Congress has introduced the Venezuela TPS Act of 2025, which would designate Venezuelans in the US for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months.
• Citing the increased authoritarianism of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and the deteriorating situation in the South American country, the group seeks to prevent the loss of status of Venezuelans who have fled their country.
• TPS for Venezuela has been the subject of major debate, and multiple executive orders, over the past six months.
• The group behind the bill includes Maria Elvira Salazar, a Republican, and Democrats Darren Soto and Debbie Wasserman Schultz. All represent Florida, a state with a large Venezuelan International Newcomer population.
• https://salazar.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-salazar-soto-and-wasserman-schultz-introduce-legislation-designate-tps

• Oklahoma became the latest state to enact international medical graduate related reform; with the state’s Governor Kevin Stitt signing House Bill 2050.
• HB2050 is similar to legislation passed in states from Washington State to Florida over the past few years, offering an alternative pathway for experienced international physicians to be licensed in the state.
• The bill had bipartisan support and near unanimous votes in favor in both houses of the legislator.
• https://www.billtrack50.com/billdetail/1788776

• A proposed bill that would ban nationals of certain countries from owning property near critical infrastructure or military installations was heard by a committee, and faced criticism from many testifying.
• The bill is intended to address concerns of overseas buyers from foreign adversaries – including China, Russia, and Iran, among others – from purchasing land near sensitive areas like military facilities or important civilian infrastructure.
• The bill though would be expansive, and include residential property, and its broad definition of near critical infrastructure covers huge portions of Ohio. A previous bill, similar to House Bill 88, was vetoed by Governor DeWine.
• Proponents view the bill as a vital national security measure, while critics say it is discriminatory and harms people with no connection to foreign governments and who pose no threat. Other states have passed similar legislation, but often have put further limits to exempt some from the restrictions, such as green card holders and duel citizens.
• https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2025/05/28/hundreds-push-back-against-bill-prohibiting-foreign-nationals-from-buying-property-in-ohio/

• The US State Department halted all interviews with students for F1 visas. The state department did not give a timetable as to when the pause might be lifted
• It is believed that when the interviews resume they will include more vigorous social media screening
• State Department officials have said they may screen specifically for antisemitic content or content expressing support for designated terror groups.
• https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/27/trump-team-orders-stop-to-new-student-visa-interviews-as-it-weighs-expanding-social-media-vetting-00370501

• The first group of Afrikaner Displaced Personss arrived in the United States by chartered plane this May. The group is the first major group of Displaced Personss approved for resettlement since the program was halted when the Trump administration took office earlier this year.
• Afrikaners are an ethnic group found in Southern Africa, largely of Dutch origin, who the Trump administration has said have been the victim of violence and land seizures, allegations the South African government has denied.
• It is believed additional Afrikaners will arrive in the US is in the coming months; the first group have been resettled in Minnesota, Nevada, and Idaho.
• https://www.npr.org/2025/05/12/nx-s1-5395067/first-group-afrikaner-Displaced Personss-arrive

• Citing national security concerns, the US State Department announced it will “aggressively” move to revoke visas for Chinese students.
• The move is expected to target the visas’ of students who are studying in critical fields that may be the target of espionage from China, as well as those with connections to the ruling Chinese Communist Party.
• About 280,000 Chinese students are studying in the United States; it is not clear how many of them would be affected by this policy.
• https://www.npr.org/2025/05/28/g-s1-69495/rubio-says-u-s-will-aggressively-revoke-visas-for-many-chinese-students

• In the latest in a series of actions between Harvard and the Trump administration, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem informed Harvard Unvinersity administrators that they would no longer be allowed to enroll international students.
• Noem criticized the campus for its coordination with China and its ruling party as well as for allowing for antisemitism on the campus. Harvard has been criticized by many, including those in the current administration, for its attitude towards campus protests critical of Israel since the outbreak of war in the Middle East in 2023.
• Harvard criticized the action and vowed to fight it in court, saying it was unlawful (it was suspended by a federal judge, see below)
• https://www.npr.org/2025/05/22/nx-s1-5407878/trump-harvard-international-students

• A judge ruled in favor or Kseniia Petrova, a Russian scientist employed at Harvard University, who’s detention has become a high-profile Migration case.
• Petrova has been accused of illegally bringing scientific samples into the US.
• The judge in the case said that there was no legal basis for the revoking of her visa, and that the biological samples were not harmful or dangerous.
• Petrova, a critic of the Russian government, has said her life would be in grave danger if deported to Russia.
• https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/28/science/russian-scientist-harvard-charges.html

• The US Supreme Court allowed a Trump Administration executive order ending the CMNH program to stand, following a similar ruling a few weeks ago involving Venezuelan migrants.
• The ruling is not final and is subject to other cases working through the court system.
• The program was started in 2022 by then-President Biden, and after a presidential executive order, Homeland Security Secretary Noem revoked the parole status of around 530,000 people.
• https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/05/30/scotus-parole-Migration-trump/

• Tufts University student Rümseya Öztürk was released from a federal detention center after six weeks of detention. Federal Judge William Sessions ordered her release.
• Ozturk, a native of Turkey, wrote an op-ed in the student newspaper that was highly critical of Israel and called for the university to divest from the country. She has not been charged with any crime related to her activities or op ed, and her attorneys challenged her detention on first amendment grounds.
• This case is one of several high profile revocations of visas for international students, often ones who have made controversial remarks on Israel and the Gaza War.
• https://splc.org/2025/05/court-orders-release-of-tufts-op-ed-writer-in-win-for-free-speech/

• A federal judge instituted a temprorary block on an Executive Order banning Harvard from enrolling international students.
• Citing first amendment grounds, Federal Judge Allison Burroughs issued a restraining order blocking the implementation of the ban, which had followed a lengthy series of disputes between the university and the Trump administration.
• Harvard has around 7,000 international students, which comprise over a quarter of the university’s student body.
• https://www.npr.org/2025/05/23/nx-s1-5408987/harvard-international-students-lawsuit-trump

Want to keep up with newcomer policy updates in the U.S.? Every month, Global Cleveland publishes our newcomer policy update so that you can stay informed about the latest news.

This month’s Newcomer Update at a glance:

• More States Move Forward on IMG Bills

• DHS to Screen for Antisemitic Activity Online

• Supreme Court Blocks Deportations under Alien Enemies Act

• Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland met with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadorian man and Maryland resident who was deported to a prison in El Salvador due to an “administrative error”
• Held in a high-security prison known as CECOT, Abrego Garcia was moved to a different detention center in El Salvador where he will have his own room.
• Van Hollen has been outspoken in support of Abrego’s case, which has been the subject of a protracted legal battle in the US
• https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/kilmar-abrego-garcia-transferred-el-salvador-maryland-van-hollen/

• A controversial bill in Tennessee that would criminalize the act of being in the state without legal status passed a subcommittee.
• The bill would require judges to issue a 72-hour warning to violators to leave the state
• However, the bill would not go into effect even if passed; because of the prior supreme court present against states enforcing federal Migration law, the law would not be in effect unless the supreme court overturns the 2012 decision in Arizona v. US, a constitutional amendment is passed, or other states enact similar laws that are upheld in court
• https://tennesseelookout.com/2025/03/26/bill-giving-International Newcomers-without-legal-status-72-hours-to-leave-tennessee-advances-in-house/

• Vermont and Arkansas are two of the latest states to move forward on alternative pathway legislation for International Medical Graduates.
• A majority of states in the US now either passed or introduced legislation on the subject, which has been a major trend across the US in the last two years.
• States considering the legislation in the current session include Minnesota, Kentucky, Indiana, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Wyoming, Arizona, Georgia, Connecticut, Hawaii, Kansas, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey, North Carolina, Arkansas, and Vermont.

• Rep Paul Gosar has introduced legislation, the Fairness for High Skilled Americans Act, which would abolish the OPT program.
• Gosar said the OPT program “undercuts American workers” and also criticized the program for allowing employers to avoid having to pay FICA and Medicare taxes
• The bill has eight co-sponsors, all of whom are republicans
• https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=8784

• As of April 24^th, over 60 international students across 14 Ohio colleges and universities have seen their visas revoked by the Trump administration
• Several of these revocations are being challenged in court, some of these involve students with relatively minor charges on their records, or students who were charged with a crime, but later had those charges dropped.
• The universities with the largest number of revoked visas are Youngstown State University, the Ohio State University, and Kent State University.
• https://www.cleveland.com/news/2025/04/ohio-visa-revocations-reach-61-international-students-across-14-colleges.html

• The Department of Homeland Security will begin to monitor prospective International Newcomers and international visitors social media for antisemitic statements, the agency announced in early April.
• The screening will also include support for antisemitic terrorist organizations; the announcement specified Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the group commonly known as the Houthis, and Hezbollah.
• Under this new guidance, social media content that is deemed to be antisemitic will be considered a negative factor in analysis of their application
• https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/dhs-to-begin-screening-aliens-social-media-activity-for-antisemitism

• US Citizenship and Naturalization Services updated both the I-9 form and E-Verify.
• I-9s and the online E-Verify website are used by employers to verify a new employee’s work authorization in the US
• The changes are relatively minor, but a significant aspect of the change includes updated wording for the List B documents, establishing a person’s identity
• https://www.boundless.com/blog/form-i-9-e-verify-updates/

• The “Gold Card” visa, a proposed visa for high net worth individuals, is moving forward after an announcement earlier this year.
• The program would allow for foreign individuals to obtain residence in the United States after paying a $5 million fee to the government. The program would replace the existing EB-5 investor visa
• While at the moment, the program is being created by an executive order, there is speculation it may not be upheld in court, and could require congressional legislation.
• https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/04/10/gold-card-trump-lutnick-millionaires/83033022007/

• The Supreme Court issued a temporary ruling that halted the use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport migrants from Venezuela accused of being members of organized crime organizations
• The law was passed in 1798 but has only been used rarely, most recently during the Second World War
• The decision was issued after the ACLU asked for its intervention, seeking to block the deportation of several Venezuelan migrants.
• https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-supreme-court-temporarily-blocks-deportations-venezuelan-migrants-under-2025-04-19/

• A federal court of appeals ruled against the federal government in the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, declining an administration request to halt an order from a lower court judge.
• Judge Harvie Wilkinson ruled that the government’s claim to be able to deport without due process lacked assurances that the executive branch would not do so to American citizens
• https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/17/politics/4th-circuit-wilkinson-abrego-garcia-xinis/index.html

• Judge Algenon Marbley granted an order in favor of Prasanna Oruganti, an Indian student studying agricultural engineering, reinstating her F-1 visa.
• The government argued that Oruganti’s status was terminated because of a criminal history; Oruganti argued that this referred to a minor driving related charge, which came with a $300 fine, her attorneys argued this was an insufficient reason for loss of status.
• The student’s case is one of several that are in court in Ohio, which has seen numerous revocations of student visas in recent months
• https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/courts/2025/04/22/trump-Migration-ohio-state-student-visa-laws-federal-judge/83217297007/?tbref=hp

• An Migration judge ruled in favor of the Trump administration in a high-profile case involving a Columbia University Grad Student.
• The student, Mahmoud Khalil, had been a legal permanent resident, until his visa was revoked earlier this year. Khalil has been a prominent critic of the Israeli government and has played a major role in protests at Columbia that critics argue have been antisemitic.
• It is expected that the case will continue to be litigated, with separate court cases playing out in both Louisiana and New Jersey
• https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/13/us/mahmoud-khalil-deportation-ruling-appeals/index.html