April 2026 Newcomer Policy Update

April 2026 Newcomer Policy Update

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 Policy Update at a glance:

  • Census Bureau finds population growth declining due to immigration restrictions
  • Temporary Protected Status (TPS) case reaches Supreme Court
  • Study: Immigrants pay more in taxes than the average person

House Passes Extension of TPS for Haitians

I-9 Restrictions Tightened

  • Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced changes to the I-9 forms that will be less accommodating to errors.
  • The I-9 form regulations stipulate that smaller errors, called “technical violations” can be corrected, but more serious, “substantive” ones can result in penalties.
  • Substantive errors now include missing DOB or USCIS numbers (where required), undated signatures, missing expiration dates, titles, hire dates, and translator details; incomplete document details, and improper use of remote verification, Spanish-language forms, and electronic systems.
  • http://- https://www.boundless.com/blog/ice-i9-inspection-policy

Paraguay Will Receive US-Deportees

  • The South American national of Paraguay became the latest third country to agree to receive those deported from the US, beginning with an initial group of Spanish speaking deportees.
  • Paraguay joins El Salvador, Costa Rica, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, and South Sudan in the ranks of countries that have signed these agreements, which are often millions of dollars.
  • These agreements have been challenged in court both in the United States and in some of the foreign countries involved.
  • http://- https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/4/21/paraguay-plans-to-accept-25-third-country-migrant-deportees-from-us

Census Bureau Finds Population Growth Declining due to Immigration Restrictions

  • New Data from the Census Bureau shows a substantial decline in population growth nationwide, attributable to the sharply decreased immigration levels since President Trump took office in 2025.
  • Many of the nation’s largest counties saw a decline in population, including Los Angeles and Miami Dade counties, four of the five boroughs of New York City, and Dallas County.
  • The Census Bureau’s George Hayward said “”The nation’s largest counties … are often international migration hubs, gaining large numbers of international migrants and losing people that move to other parts of the country via domestic migration.”
  • https://www.axios.com/2026/03/26/county-population-growth-immigration?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter_axiospm&stream=top

40 Country Pause Impacting OPT Usage – Inside Higher Ed

TPS Case Reaches Supreme Court

  • The US Supreme Court took up two key cases that will have major implications for the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program and the executive branch’s powers over it.
  • TPS allows for eligible individuals from specific countries to remain in, and work in, the US if they are unable to safely return home. At the center of the case are the designations for two countries, Syria and Haiti, that the Department of Homeland Security ended TPS Status for.
  • The lawsuits allege that the termination of TPS status for both countries lacked the procedures required by the statute that created the program, which mandates vetting by the state department.
  • In addition, case is expected to hinge on what parts of a TPS designation are subjet to judicial review by the courts system.
  • https://www.npr.org/2026/04/29/nx-s1-5794042/supeme-court-tps

Maryland Judge orders USCIS to Process Green Cards from Listed Countries

  • In a ruling on a controversial and high profile executive order, a judge in Maryland ordered the US Citizenship and Naturalization Services to move forward with the green card process for 83 immigrants that had been paused.
  • The plantiffs, mostly citizens of Afghanistan, Eritrea, Iran, Syria, and Venezuela, challenged a Trump administration rule that halted applications from citizens of 39 “countries of identified concern.”
  • The order is restricted to the plaintiffs in this case; other litigation involving the rule is ongoing.
  • https://thedailyrecord.com/2026/04/27/uscis-immigration-applications-trump-maryland/

Study: Immigrants Pay More in Taxes than Average Person

  • The Cato Institute, a libertarian leaning think tank released a major study on the effect of immigration on government revenues, using data going all the way back to 1994.
  • It found that over the period from 1994 – 2023 immigrants paid $1.3 trillion in taxes while receiving $761 billion in benefits.
  • Compared to the average US born citizen, immigrants contributed about $100,000 in taxes per capita.
  • The impact was higher on average for more educated immigrants; foreign born non citizens with a college degree (bachelors or higher), on average, contributed $643,557 more in taxes than they received in benefits.
  • https://www.cato.org/blog/immigrants-pay-more-taxes-average-person

by [email protected]

Volunteer Luncheon 2026 Photos

by [email protected]

March 2026 Newcomer Policy Update

March 2026 Newcomer Policy Update

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 Policy Update at a glance:

  • Ohio introduces Alternative Pathways Bill
  • ICE agents deployed to airports, including Cleveland
  • Administration wins key case on detention without bond in appeals court

Ohio introduces Alternative Pathways Bill

  • Ohio State Representative Andrea White, a Dayton area Republican, introduced House Bill 763, which will provide an alternative pathway to licensure for foreign-trained physicians.
  • The bill would permit an experienced doctor who had completed residency overseas to earn a provisional licensure without repeating a residency.
  • Ohio is the latest state to propose such a bill, which has already become law in over 20 states.

Lawmakers introduce bill to waive $100k fee for medical professionals

Bill would criminalize driving in Ohio without legal status

Legislation to protect OPT introduced

  • A bipartisan group of representatives including Democrats Raja Krishnamoorthi and Sam Liccairdo, and Republican Jay Obernolte, have introduced the Keep Innovators in America Act.
  • The bill would codify Optional Practical Training and Curricular Practical Training into law; currently, OPT and CPT are not codified in federal law, and the executive branch could legally end or restrict the program without congressional authorization.
  • A study by the Business Roundtable found that curbing the program would cost over 400,000 jobs, including over 200,000 held by US born workers.

ICE agents deployed to airports, including Cleveland

  • The Federal government deployed Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel at over a dozen major airports in mid-March, including Cleveland Hopkins International.
  • Air travel nationwide has faced widespread delays due to a partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, which includes the Transportation Safety Administration.
  • It is unclear exactly what the agents duties will be, but unlike TSA agents, ICE officials are paid during the partial shutdown.

Social media screening to expand

Passport requirement added to diversity lottery application

  • Under new rules, a valid passport is now a requirement for applications for the diversity lottery, by which prospective immigrants can obtain a green card.
  • The new changes also coincide with some other minor changes to the diversity visa form DS-5501.
  • Applicants need a JPEG scan of key pages of their passport, which much be valid and unexpired.
  • Exemptions to the new rule to exist, including stateless individuals and nationals of specific countries who cannot obtain passport information.

Administration wins key case on detention without bond in appeals court

Supreme Court thought to be sympathetic to asylum restrictions

  • Arguments are ongoing at the Supreme Court on a high profile case on whether the federal government can legally turn away an asylum seeker at the US border.
  • Reporters have speculated that the Supreme Court may side with the administration, which asserts that the federal government does not have a legal application to process an asylum claim for someone not yet on US soil, but at a border post.
  • Federal law states that a migrant that has arrived in the United States has a right to apply for asylum; the administration’s argument views this provision as applying to those already in the United States, not those seeking to enter.
  • The policy, known as ‘metering’, was introduced under President Obama, expanded under the first Trump administration, but halted under Biden’s presidency.

by [email protected]

February 2026 Newcomer Policy Update

February 2026 Newcomer Policy Update

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:

  • Bill to abolish H1Bs introduced

  • House legislation would create new standards for ICE and CBP’s handling of detainees

  • Federal court rules against administration on access to lawyers

Lawmakers push for H-1B fee exception for healthcare

  • A bipartisan and bicameral group of lawmakers wrote to Secretary Kristi Noem of the Department of Homeland Security urging the secretary to exempt the healthcare sector from the $100,000 fee for H-1B visas
  • The letter cited the ongoing healthcare worker shortage and the severe financial strain the fee could place on hospitals and other healthcare organizations
  • The effort was led by Yvette Clarke and Mike Lawler, both of New York, and signatories included two Ohio Representatives, Emilia Sykes and Shontel Brown.
  • https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zDZCDd18YwTKpSSw1T3tqZuygglR-2IM/view

Bill to abolish H1Bs introduced

  • Florida Republican Congressman Greg Steube introduced the EXILE Act, which would abolish the H-1B program
  • Steube cited abuse of the program and harm to the job prospects of American workers as reasons for the bill, which as of now does not have any co sponsors.
  • The bill would end the program by setting the number of visas allocated to zero, starting with Fiscal Year 2027.
  • https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7451/cosponsors

House introduces bill specifying denaturalization process

House legislation would create new standards for ICE and CBP’s handling of detainees

  • Raul Ruiz led a group of more than eighty democratic members of Congress to introduce the Humanitarian Standards for Individuals in ICE and CBP Custody Act codifying new standards for the care of individuals detained by immigration enforcement personnel
  • The bill would require detainees to have access to sufficient food and water, and shelter would have to be gender-separated. It would also require agency wide guidelines for health screenings.
  • The bill would also contain new standards for training of agents and monitoring and compliance standards for the agency.
  • https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7335/cosponsors?r=2&s=4&q=%7B%22cosponsor-state%22%3A%22Ohio%22%7D

Legislation would repeal section on sanctuary policies

  • New legislation, labeled HR7252, would repeal section 642 of the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act.
  • This section forbids local governments from restricting the sharing of immigration of an individual’s citizenship or immigration status with federal law enforcement and immigration personnel.
  • The provision has a significant affect on the ability of municipalities to restrict cooperation with ICE, a controversial issue since the new administration took power.
  • The bill, introduced by Texas’ Sylvia Garcia, has only Democratic sponsorship.
  • https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7252

TPS for Yemen to end

  • The Department of Homeland Security announced the Temporary Protected Status for Yemen would end within 60 days of the relevant notice being published in the federal registrar
  • Yemen, which has been in political turmoil since a 2011 revolution toppled the country’s leader, has been designated for TPS since 2015.
  • Yemeni nationals in the United States have 60 days to either leave the country or find another lawful basis for remaining in the US; the government offers to pay travel expenses for those who choose to depart the country.
  • https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/dhs-terminates-temporary-protected-status-for-yemen

New DHS rule eases path for R1 Visas

  • A new rule from the Department of Homeland Security provides for an easier path for renewals of R1 visas for religious workers.
  • Previously, R1 workers were required to depart the US and remain outside of the country for a year before seeking readmission.
  • The Department cited that demand for the visas exceeded supply and a 2023 rule change made the wait times excessively long
  • https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/dhs-reduces-wait-times-for-thousands-of-religious-workers-abroad

Three Pennsylvania colleges join Harvard lawsuit

  • 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

Federal court rules against administration on access to lawyers

  • A Minnesota federal judge ruled in favor of a lawsuit against the government over its immigration enforcement operations in the state.
  • Judge Nancy Brasel, herself an appointee of President Trump, ordered that immigration detainees be given access to phones and attorneys, finding that existing policies made it near impossible for them to have sufficient legal representation
  • The order will last for two weeks, and the case may continue to move through federal court.
  • https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5737388-judge-rules-ice-detainee-rights/

Judge rules against Ozturk deportation

Judge dismisses deportation proceedings against Vermont based activists

  • A federal immigration judge ruled against the federal government in the high profile deportation case of Mohsen Mahdawi, who was detained last year at a citizenship appointment over his activism against Israel during the Gaza War.
  • The case was dismissed on technical grounds, related to the authentication of documents from the Secretary of State.
  • The terms of the ruling allow the government to appeal or refile deportation proceedings, but the Department of Homeland Security has not said if they will do so.
  • https://www.wbur.org/news/2026/02/18/mohsen-mahdawi-deportation-dismissed-vermont-columbia

by [email protected]

January 2026 Newcomer Policy Update

January 2026 Newcomer Policy Update

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:

  • Funding Bill Loses Support Following Minneapolis Shooting
  • Immigrant Visas Paused for 75 Countries
  • DOJ to Probe Minnesota Governor, Minneapolis Mayor

Funding Bill Loses Support Following Minneapolis Shooting

  • A government funding deal faces an uncertain future in the US Senate after the fatal shooting of a Minnesota man by federal immigration officers, with multiple senators now opposing a deal that would’ve funded ICE.
  • Key members of the Senate, including New York’s Chuck Schumer, the minority leader, and Washington’s Patty Murray, previously a supporter of the bill, now oppose it.
  • Many Democrats have supported changing the funding package to curtail some of ICE’s operations, and introduce more oversight and civil rights protections for those detained by the agency
  • https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/funding-deal-begins-to-unravel-as-senate-democrats-vow-to-oppose-dhs-bill-over-alex-pretti-shooting-in-minnesota

EB-1A Filings Take Off

USCIS Announces Fee Hikes

  • US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced a raise in the fees charged for premium processing.
  • Federal law states that the fees are adjusted every two years to reflect inflation; the previous raise was in February 2024, requiring an adjustment in early 2026.
  • USCIS based the fee increase on the consumer price index, and are generally an increase in the low three figures, depending on the visa

Immigrant Visas Paused for 75 Countries

  • Citing public charge concerns, the United States government announced it would pause processing of immigration visas from citizens of 75 countries.
  • The halt began on January 21, 2026, and will continue indefinitely until the State Department reviews its policies and procedures.
  • Brazil, Congo, Russia, Nigeria, Thailand, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan, and Somalia are among the countries affected.
  • The pause does not apply to non immigration visas, including student visas, which are able to still be processed.

ICE Launches Operation in Maine

  • Immigration and Customs Enforcement has launched a major operation in Maine, the latest state to be the focus of enforcement action for the agency.
  • The operation has seen over 100 people arrested, and has caused local controversy with one Sheriff saying that a corrections officer with legal authorization to work was arrested by the agency.
  • There has been some speculation that Maine’s small but sizable Somali community prompted the administration to start the operation

DOJ to Probe Minnesota Governor, Minneapolis Mayor

  • The Department of Justice begun a probe into two public officials in Minnesota, in the latest chapter of a controversial political controversy over immigration enforcement in the state that has seen two fatal shootings involving federal officers
  • Mayor Jacob Frey and Governor Tim Walz, are being investigated over a ‘conspiracy to impede federal immigration agents,’ accusations that Mayor Frey and Governor Walz both dismissed as politically motivated and baseless.
  • Both Walz and Frey have been vocal critics of ICE’s deployment, and have repeatedly called for them to leave the city.

Minnesota ICE case to go to Federal Court

  • The State of Minnesota, and its two largest cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul) took the federal government to court, claiming the deployment of immigration enforcement personnel to the state violates the US Constitution’s Tenth Amendment provisions regarding rights reserved to the states
  • Administration lawyers have said that the deployment is a legal operation of federal law enforcement, and within the federal government’s constitutional powers.
  • The case, one of several nationwide surrounding ICE, is in Minnesota Federal Court.

Federal Judge in Minnesota Orders Release of Man on 4th Amendment Grounds

Judge allows limits on Congressional Visits to ICE Facilities to continue

  • The federal government can continue to block lawmakers from accessing ICE facilities without prior notice, a federal judge ruled.
  • Currently, the Department of Homeland Security requires lawmakers give notification of their visit a week before hand.
  • This policy had been challenged in court by Congressman Joe Neguse of Colorado.
  • The Judge had stated that changes in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” passed last year had factored into the decision, which differed from one issued late last year.

Key Immigration Case on its way to Supreme Court

  • The Supreme Court will hear a case that may have major implications for immigration policy, particularly around presumption of guilt by immigration agents.
  • The Case, Bondi v. Lau involves a Chinese citizen charged with a crime in 2013, and despite having a green card, was not re-admitted to the US under his visa but under parole.
  • The circumstances of Lau’s case make it difficult for him to be deported if he had been admitted on his green card, but not if he was admitted on parole; whether the immigration officers had the power to do this in 2013 is the question on which the case hinges
  • It is believed that the opinion could have major consequences for how the US legal system views the powers of immigration officers to “impose consequences on migrants for committing crimes” for which they have not been convicted.

by [email protected]

End of 2025 Policy Update

End of 2025 Policy Update

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:

  • Administration to Ramp Up Denaturalizations

  • Ohio House Narrows Land Ownership Bill

  • SCOTUS to hear case on Birthright Citizenship

Ohio House Narrows Land Ownership Bill

  • Following considerable controversy, lawmakers in Ohio narrowed the criteria for a bill restricting land ownership by foreign residents.
  • The bill would’ve banned the ownership of land by countries designated foreign adversaries, and additionally included individuals living in Ohio from these countries. Chinese, Cuban, Iranian, North Korean, and Russian nationals would’ve been banned from buying property within 25 miles of critical infrastructure.
  • Critics have described the bill as overly harsh, and with a expansive definition of critical infrastructure would include much of the state.
  • The changes reduce the radius to 10 miles and exempt green card holders and anyone who has served in the US armed forces, though advocacy groups continue to oppose the bill, citing that many residents could be unable to own a home or business because of their nationality.
  • https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2025/12/01/ohio-house-narrows-foreign-land-ownership-bill-critics-contend-it-doesnt-go-far-enough/

Senator Moreno Introduces Bill to Ban Dual Citizenship

Travel Ban List Expanded

  • The US travel ban has been expanded to include a broader list of countries, with the eight countries newly added to the full ban: Burkina Faso, Mali. Niger, South Sudan, Syria, those with Palestinian Authority passports, Laos, and Sierre Leone.
  • The Partial restriction list was also expanded, notably including Nigeria and Zimbabwe.
  • Turkmenistan saw a partial lifting of restrictions, with non immigrant visas no longer being subject to restrictions
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gkvxlpn55o

Administration to Ramp Up Denaturalizations

  • The New York Times reported that the Trump administration will set ambitious targets for increasing the numbers of people stripped of citizenship in 2026 with a target of 100-200 cases per month.
  • This number would significantly exceed the total number of cases in an entire year.
  • Generally, denaturalization can only happen when people committed fraud while obtaining citizenship; USCIS officials confirmed that the targets will focus on those who lied or misrepresented their past during the naturalization process
  • https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/17/us/politics/trump-immigration-citizenship-denaturalization.html

USCIS’ New Policy on Photo Verification

TPS for Haiti to End

  • Temporary Protected status for nationals of Haiti will end in February of next year.
  • The status was initially imposed in the aftermath of the 2010 Haiti Earthquake, and was extended since when the country entered a prolonged political crisis that saw the assassination of the country’s president and an uptick in organized crime
  • The revocation is pending a court case, the Haitian Evangelical Clergy Association v. Trump, which is ongoing.
  • Haitians on TPS have until February 3rd to either find another status or depart the US, those who depart are eligible for government funding to pay for a plane ticket.
  • https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/dhs-terminates-temporary-protected-status-for-haiti

Applications for Gold Card Visa Now Open

  • 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

US Considering Asking Visitors for Social Media History

  • US Customs and Border Protection proposed changes to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization to require applicants to disclose 5 years of social media history
  • The ESTA program allows visitors from 42 countries to visit the US without a visa.
  • Information on social media has been on the application sin ce 2016, but was not mandatory.
  • Under the proposed new policy, a persons pone numbers, email addresses, and social media history would be mandated
  • The changes are not finalized and are subject to public comment in the Federal Registrar through February 9th

SCOTUS to hear case on Birthright Citizenship

  • The Supreme Court will hear a case challenging President Trump’s restrictions on birthright citizenship, setting up a major case in the ongoing legal battle over the policy.
  • The case revolves around the Citizenship Clause of the 14th amendment to the Constitution.
  • In previous cases, notably US v. Wong Kim Ark, the Court has held that a child born in the US to foreign parents automatically is a US Citizen; only a few narrow exceptions, such as children born to parents who are foreign diplomats, are not eligible for citizenship at birth.
  • Trump has criticized birthright citizenship for years and earlier this year issued an executive order removing birthright citizenship for children born to parents who were in the US without legal status, or were here on certain temporary visas
  • https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/05/us/politics/supreme-court-trump-birthright-citizenship.html

by [email protected]

December 2025 Newcomer Policy Update

December 2025 Newcomer Policy Update

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:

  • Administration Announces Review of Biden Era Refugees
  • International Student Enrollment Declines Nationwide
  • Bill Introduced to Ease Pathway for Immigrants Working at VA

Foreign Tourists to Pay More at National Parks

  • The Department of the Interior unveiled a new pass to visit all National Parks Service sites, with a two tiered pricing system that is more expensive for foreign visitors. Non-residents will pay $250, while US residents will pay $80.
  • Interior Secretary Doug Burgum cited that US taxpayers are already paying to fund the parks service
  • Several of the most popular sites will also be the subject to a $100 fee for foreign visitors

Major Tech Firms Lead in H-1Bs

Administration Announces Review of Biden Era Refugees

  • The Trump administration announced it would review the applications and statuses of refugees admitted under President Joe Biden’s administration, citing concerns of insufficient screening and vetting
  • In a memo from the director of USCIS, the reviews will focus on whether the individuals met the legal definition of a refugee when they entered the United States as well as whether there are any barriers that would make them ineligible for a green card
  • The memo also called for a indefinite hold on all green card approvals for refugees who entered during the Biden years.

International Student Enrollment Declines Nationwide

  • A report from the Institute of International Education said the number of international students on American campuses declined about 1%, but a 7% decline in new international students and a 12% decline in new graduate student enrollment
  • The Trump administration has sought to curb international enrollment and has considered advocating for a cap of international enrollment at 15% of the student body, though the administration has also at times stressed the importance of international student enrollment
  • 57% of institutions that provided data reported that new enrollments from abroad decreased in 2025.

$1,000 parole fee takes affect

  • As specified in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed earlier this year, the new $1,000 fee for those granted parole goes into affect this fall
  • Significant numbers of immigrants are exempt from the fee including those with a pending adjustment of status application
  • Considerable confusion has arisen from the letters announcing the change, which are sometimes sent to those who are not affected by it

Legislation to freeze all immigration introduced

  • New legislation that would temporarily pause all immigration to the United States was introduced by Texas Congressman Chip Roy and a group of Republican co-sponsors.
  • The pause would be lifted when a series of changes would be codified into law, changes specified include allowance of more restrictions on undocumented immigrants attending public schools, the ending of the diversity visa program, restrictions on means-tested federal programs, and the abolition of OPT.

Bill Introduced to Ease Pathway for Immigrants Working at VA

Bill Introduced on Immigration Document Delivery

  • Texas Republican Keith Self introduced the Immigration Document Delivery Accountability Act aiming to have more accountability and transparency around the mailing of documents related to immigration
  • The bill requires the postal service introduce a ‘trackable accountability measure’ to ensure timely delivery of the documents.
  • It currently does not have any cosponsors, and was referred to the Oversight Committee.

Courts: Immigrants May Be Eligible for Bond Hearings

by [email protected]

September 2025 Newcomer Policy Update

September 2025 Newcomer Policy Update

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

HWRA Returns in New Congress

  • 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

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

  • 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

Rep. Vasquez's Bill Would Provide Path to Permanent Status for Critical Workers

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

Higher Ed Groups Oppose Time Limits for Student Visas

  • 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

H-1B Fee Won't Apply to Existing Visa Holders

  • 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/

DHS Streamlines H-2 Process

  • 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

TPS Ends for Syria

Changes Made to Citizenship Test

Healthcare Groups Raise Concerns about H-1B Fee

  • 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

Department of Labor Announced H-1B enforcement initiative

  • 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

USCIS Tightens Interview Location Policy

  • 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

Federal Government Issues Temporary Pause on Visas for Foreign Truck Drivers

  • 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

EB-2 Cap Hit for 2025

  • 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

Lawsuit Imminent over H-1B fee

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Global Trivia Night 2025 Photos

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August 2025 Newcomer Policy Update

August 2025 Newcomer Policy Update

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:

  • Immigrant Population in US Drops for First Time in Decades

  • Administration to Review all Existing Visas

  • Refugee Cap Could be 40,000 Next Year

Immigrant Population in US Drops for First Time in Decades

  • A study by the Pew Research Center found that for the first time in many decades more immigrants left the United States that entered it.
  • Between January and June of this year, the study found, the US’ foreign born population decreased by nearly one and a half million people, the first decline in fifty years
  • Trump administration supporters have lauded the change, saying it will lead to higher wages and more opportunity for native born residents, but many economists have been concerned it could lead to serious long term economic problems.
  • https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/21/us/immigration-decline-united-states-trump.html

Administration to Review all Existing Visas

  • The Trump administration announced it will review the visas of around 55 million people to find to any violations that count warrant deportations
  • In a statement, the State Department said the process was one of “continuous vetting”
  • The 55 million people who hold visas are not necessarily immigrants in or residents of the United States, a large number of them hold tourism or business visas that allow for occasional visits to the country
  • https://apnews.com/article/trump-visas-deportations-068ad6cd5724e7248577f17592327ca4

Trump: US Will Allow Chinese International Students

  • President Trump said the US will continue to allow more than half a million Chinese international students to continue studying at US colleges and universities
  • Earlier this year the State Department announced plans to “aggressively revoke” visas for Chinese students, including those with ties to the country’s ruling Communist Party and those in certain critical fields.
  • In a comment at the White House, the President said it was “very important” that students from China be allowed in the US, and said that the US would allow up to 600,000 students from China to study here annually, which would be a substantial increase from the current figure and would exceed the pre-COVID pandemic level.
  • https://nypost.com/2025/08/26/us-news/trump-to-allow-600000-chinese-students-entry-to-us-for-college-as-trade-talks-with-china-press-on/

USCIS Updated Guidance on Family Based Petitions

  • US Citizenship and Immigration Services issued new guidance about family based immigrant petitions
  • The policy clarifies that the approval of a family-based petition does not on its own confer legal immigration status, and if the recipient is in violation of other aspects of immigration law they may still be issued a Notice to Appear
  • The document details the criteria and procedures involved in the family-based petitions, and the circumstances under which they may be rereouted to another agency of government
  • https://www.newsweek.com/immigration-officials-green-card-uscis-2108483

New USCIS Rules Change Pathway for Children of H-1B Visa Holders

  • New US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) policies may affect the pathway to legal permanent residence status for the children of green card holders.
  • The policy states that if someone turns 21 before being approved for green card status, they can no longer be considered a child for immigration purposes, complicating their path to a green card.
  • The previous administration implemented a new policy in 2023 to allow applicants to ‘lock in’ their age, but the new USCIS guidance has rolled back these changes.
  • https://americanbazaaronline.com/2025/08/25/uscis-policy-change-alters-green-card-path-for-children-of-h-1b-visa-holders-466696/

Refugee Cap Could be 40,000 Next Year

ICE Recruiting Drive Reached 100k Applicants

  • The federal government’s drive to hire additional ICE agents reached the major milestone of100,000 applications for work at the agency
  • The agency, which saw a major increase in funding in recent legislation, has removed age limitations on applications for work and have offered incentives, including a signing bonus of up to $50,000
  • President Trump launched the recruiting drive with the goal of hiring an additional 10,000 officers.
  • https://www.executivegov.com/articles/dhs-ice-law-enforcement-recruitment-kristi-noem

Abrego Garcia’s Deportation Blocked

  • Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadorian man who’s case became a major story earlier this year, was taked into custody by ICE who intended to deport him to Uganda
  • US District Judge Paula Xinis issued an order blocking the deportation until an evidentiary hearing
  • Abrego Garcia was sent to El Salvador, where he was imprisoned, earlier this year in a move that the US government later admitted was a mistake.
  • https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/kilmar-abrego-garcia-ice-check-in-rcna226866

Yost: Counties can Hold Detainees with ICE Contracts

  • New Guidance from the Ohio Attorney General indicates that counties in the state are allowed to house detainees as long as required by federal low, providing they have a contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
  • This changes an earlier directive given by the former Attorney General Marc Dann, who said in 2007 sheriffs could only jail people based on criminal, not civil, immigration charges
  • The opinion, which is not legally binding, also asserted that only county commissioners – and not sheriffs – have the power to sign contracts with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. County commissioners are present in 86 of Ohio’s 88 counties with Cuyahoga and Summit being the exceptions.
  • https://www.cleveland.com/metro/2025/08/ohio-ag-yost-counties-can-jail-immigration-detainees-indefinitely-with-ice-contracts.html

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