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

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

This month’s Migration Update at a glance:

• White House Considers ‘Gold Card’ Visa as EB5 Replacement

• Indiana Introduces IMG Bill

• Federal Judge Halts Alien Enemies Act Deportations

• President Donald Trump floated a new investment visa, dubbed the “Gold Card” that would be designed to attract high-net worth individuals who may invest in the country.
• The new visas, which would offer a path to citizenship, would cost $5 million.
• It is believed that the EB-5 visa would be replaced by the new gold card. The EB-5 has additional requirements, including that the holder must create or preserve at least ten full time jobs in the country; it is not clear that this will be required in the new visa
• https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-gold-card-eb5-visa-5-million-Migration-oligarch-cbs-news-explains/

• The Department of Commerce is considering making postal workers conduct some of the 2030 census in an effort to save money
• The census typically involves the hiring of about a half a million temporary workers, a considerable expense in the government budget
• The Census Bureau is part of the Commerce Department, while the postal service is not; however, it has been reported that the USPS may be moved from being an independent agency to being the responsibility of the Commerce Department.
• https://www.newsweek.com/usps-workers-could-take-over-census-2036961#:~:text=What%20To%20Know,the%20dedicated%20U.S.%20Census%20Bureau.

• The US Citizenship and Migration Services announced a proposed change that will have it collect information of social media activity of International Newcomers
• The proposal will be open to public comment for 60 days
• It follows an executive order from January that directed agencies to identify resources that can help the government ensure that International Newcomers are “vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible.”
• https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/uscis-plans-to-collect-International Newcomers-social-media-information

• The Department of Homeland Security announced that the temporary protected status (TPS) for Haitian nationals would end in August of 2025, six months earlier than previously announced
• The change, announced on February 20th by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, would leave many Haitian born International Newcomers without status, unless they can transfer to another visa
• TPS for Haiti was originally dedicated in the aftermath of the 2011 Earthquake that devastated the country, and was maintained since as the country has been embroiled in a political and humanitarian crisis.
• https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/update-on-tps-for-haiti#:~:text=The%20announcement%20amends%20the%20period,3%2C%202025

• Indiana is the latest in a growing group of states who have proposed alternative pathways bills for internationally educated doctors
• Republican State Rep Beau Baird introduced the proposal, who said that it would help address the state’s doctor shortage.
• The bill would have an especially profound impact on rural Indiana communities, Baird told reporters
• Like many other states, the bill would allow for an experienced physician to bypass residency if he or she had sufficient training and experience. The bill, which was supported by the Indiana State Medical Association, requires 5 years of post practice experience.
• https://www.953mnc.com/2025/02/18/indiana-bill-aims-to-combat-shortage-of-medical-professionals/

• Representatives Mike Lawler and Yvette Clarke, both of New York, introduced the Doctors in Our Borders Act, which would expand the Conrad 30 program in an effort to combat an ongoing healthcare workforce shortage
• The waivers allowed under the Conrad 30 program would more than triple if the bill was passed
• The bill has a sizable bipartisan group supporting it, and is also backed by the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC)
• https://lawler.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3738

• The White House issued an executive order to expediate deportations of suspected members of the Tren de Aragua, a Venezuela-based crime syndicate, under the Alien Enemies Act
• Suspected members of the gang were removed from the country and sent to El Salvador and Honduras, but the implementation of the order was blocked by a federal judge
• Judge James Boasberg issued a temporary restraining order blocking the implementation for 14 days, after a lawsuit which argued that the law could only be invoked in wartime, and not against nationals of a country (Venezuela) that we are not at war with.
• Several planes did leave the US before the order, and some have accused the government of deporting those not affiliated with Tren de Aragua
• https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/15/trump-alien-enemies-act-deportations

• A late February decision allowed a lower court ruling to stand that blocked a Trump administration policy that would no longer recognize birthright citizenship to the children of people in the country without legal status, as well as those here with a certain non-International Newcomer visas
• The 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals held that the order violated the 14^th amendment of the Constitution.
• The three judge panel included two Republican appointees, one of which, who issued a concurrence, was appointed by President Trump in his first term, though the ruling itself was written by Judge William Canby, an appointee of Jimmy Carter.
• https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-appeals-court-rejects-trumps-bid-curtail-birthright-citizenship-2025-02-20/

• Mahmoud Khalil, a student at Columbia University in New York, was arrested by Migration and Customs Enforcement. Agents said they were revoking Khalil’s Green Card.
• Khalil was a leader of protests against Israel on Columbia’s Campus, and the arrest was on the grounds that Khalil’s activities had been antisemitic and supportive of a listed terrorist organization
• The case has received national attention, and defenders of Khalil have argued the revocation of his green card was unlawful
• https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-mahmoud-khalil-ice-15014bcbb921f21a9f704d5acdcae7a8

• In a bill on the state’s transportation budget, a provision has been added to require proof of citizenship when registering to vote at a state Bureau of Motor Vehicles Office
• The bill, House Bill 54, also requires more data sharing between the BMV and the office of the Secretary of State regaring voter information
• HB54 mostly focuses on transportation, with provisions exploring new passenger rail services being a well-publicized section
• https://www.statenews.org/government-politics/2025-02-23/voter-registration-and-passenger-rail-provisions-added-to-ohio-transportation-budget\

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:

• We break down the Trump Administration’s executive orders impacting Migration
• Displaced Persons Program Suspension Challenged in Court
• Proposed House Bill 42 would require the collection and reporting of data related to Migration status, citizenship status in crimes

• This order overturned five Executive Orders from the Biden Administration, including those that:

  • Focused enforcement priorities on national security and public safety threats.
  • Established a process for the orderly handling of asylum seekers.
  • Aimed to reunite families separated during Trump’s first term.
  • Enhanced support for workforce and language access for individuals involved in the Migration process.
  • Worked to rebuild the US Displaced Persons Admissions Program.

There are two main themes in this order: one focuses on border wall construction and increased enforcement, while the other aims to complicate the asylum process and end parole programs.

• Section 3: Calls for the Department of Defense (DOD) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to build barriers to achieve “complete operational control” of the southern border.
• Section 4: Directs DOD, Department of Justice (DOJ), and DHS to deploy personnel to further ensure complete operational control. This will likely lead to increased militarization of the border and prioritization of funding for the border wall.
• Section 7(a): Focuses on ending the CBP One App, which allowed parolees, asylum seekers, and others to easily request entry to the US and inform Migration officials of their intended time and port of entry. This app helped manage appointments and streamline the Migration process.
• Section 7(b): Terminates “categorical parole” programs, which provided temporary legal status and work authorization for individuals from specific countries without offering a path to citizenship. Examples of impacted programs include the 2022 Humanitarian Parole for Venezuelans, the 2022 Uniting for Ukraine program, the 2021 Afghan Placement and Assistance program, and the 2014 Central American Minors program.

It is unclear how these changes will affect parolees already in the United States, particularly those from Afghanistan and Ukraine, who number in the thousands.

• This Executive Order introduces stricter screening requirements and mandates that:
  • The Department of State (DOS), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Director of National Intelligence report jointly within 60 days on any countries where vetting and screening information is so inadequate that it may justify suspending the admission of nationals from those countries (Section 2(i)).
•   The report also requests information on:
  • How many nationals from those countries have been admitted to the United States since January 21, 2021 (Section 2(ii)).
•  Migration advocates anticipate that this could lead to the imposition of travel bans.
• Early analysis suggests that individuals from countries failing to meet the screening standards may be deemed inadmissible, meaning they should not have been allowed entry in the first place and could potentially be subject to removal.

• The Executive Order directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other agencies to take broad action to enforce Migration laws against all “inadmissible and removable” noncitizens.

• It largely empowers DHS and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to increase Migration enforcement, including:

  • Deputizing cooperating state and local law enforcement to assist with enforcement.
  • Prosecuting cities that refuse to cooperate with federal Migration enforcement.
  • Expanding the use of Expedited Removal, a process for quick deportation.

• Key provisions to increase enforcement include:

  • Section 4: Establishes the primary mission of ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations division as enforcing the Migration and Nationality Act (INA) and federal laws related to illegal entry and unlawful presence of noncitizens.
  • Section 11: Authorizes state and local law enforcement, under a voluntary agreement with DHS, to perform Migration officer duties, such as investigating, apprehending, and detaining noncitizens, to the full extent allowed by law.
  • Section 21: Directs DHS, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), USCIS, and other agencies to significantly increase hiring of Migration officers.

• Other measures include the authorization of legal actions against sanctuary cities:

  • Section 17: Instructs DHS and DOJ to pursue criminal and civil action against sanctuary cities, which would result in those cities losing access to federal funds.
  • Section 9: Expands DHS’s authority to use Expedited Removal, which allows for the swift deportation of certain noncitizens. Key concerns include the risk of erroneous deportation, insufficient protection for asylum seekers, and lack of judicial review.

• Reports indicate ICE arrest quotas have increased by as much as three or four times in response to Federal pressure.

• The DOJ has formed a group to prosecute cities that refuse to cooperate with Migration authorities or federal Migration policies.

• The House Oversight Committee has started an investigation into sanctuary cities and has requested that the mayors of Boston, Chicago, Denver, and New York City testify.

• A 2011 ICE memo defined schools, hospitals, places of worship, sites of funeral, wedding, or religious ceremony, or public demonstration as places where Migration enforcement officials may not conduct arrests, interviews, searches, or surveillance absent clear danger.
• A new DHS directive rescinds those protections, and was followed by a Federal lawsuit in Maryland on behalf of several Quaker organizations who claim DHS would be in violation of their First Amendment rights.

• A new agency directive includes three policy memoranda related to the processing of asylum claims:
  • One memo instructs Migration Judges to decide asylum claims within 180 days of the application, significantly speeding up the decision-making process.
  • The memo also clarifies that “good cause” alone does not justify postponing asylum proceedings beyond 180 days. This means that cases that would typically qualify for an extension may be canceled at the 180-day mark, potentially denying qualified asylum seekers protection.
• Another focus of the memo is on employment authorization:
  • Asylum seekers are currently eligible for employment authorization (EADs) 180 days after applying for asylum.
  • The intent of this policy is to deny legal work authorization to anyone submitting an asylum application, limiting their ability to work legally in the U.S. during this period.

• Venezuela was initially designated for Temporary Protected Status in 2021, and was redesignated by the Biden Administration in 2023 and January 2025. Current Secretary of DHS vacated the January decision, which means Venezuelan TPS is set to expire on April 2nd, with a report on February 1st formally terminating the program.
• Benefits under this program including legal presence and work authorization are set to expire April 7th, 2025.
• Venezuela has been undergoing a period of severe economic and political crisis that has grown more severe in the last year after the Venezuelan government announced the reelection of Nicolás Maduro, despite election results that many observers reported actually indicated a victory for Maduro’s opponent.

• Military forces along the border are set to drastically increase and are being tasked with supporting detection and monitoring efforts and continuing border wall construction.

• Through The Executive Office of Migration, certain legal service providers including Migration Court Helpdesk, Family Group Legal Orientation Program, and Counsel for Children receive federal funds in their efforts to serve vulnerable populations moving through the Migration system.
• On January 24th, a stop-work order was issued to organizations who have agreements with the State Department and Bureau of Populations, Displaced Personss, and Migrants.
• Order urges “The Recipient (of State Department and PRM funds) must cancel as many outstanding obligations as possible.” These obligations include initial resettlement support, fast-track financial assistance and employment programming, intensive case management for those with chronic illness or other acute barriers to self-sufficiency, support for survivors of torture, and entrepreneurship programming, among many other program areas.
• Displaced Persons resettlement funding falls under PRM programs, and the impact this order and funding freeze has fundamentally upended the provision of support to individuals on a legal pathway already within the United States.

• The Laken Riley Act was passed with significant bipartisan support and signed into law by President Trump in early 2025. The law mandates that Migration authorities detain undocumented individuals charged with robbery, larceny, theft, or shoplifting, and requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to issue a detainer in these cases.

• The bill is named after Laken Riley, a Georgia nursing student who was murdered last year. Her suspected killer was an undocumented International Newcomer from Venezuela who had previously been arrested but released on theft-related charges.

• The law also includes a provision that allows states to sue the federal government to force the use of expedited removal and enables state-led lawsuits challenging federal parole authority.

• https://phillipslytle.com/congress-passes-laken-riley-act-wwith-controversial-Migration-provisions/

• Introduced in the house, Bill 42 would require the collection and reporting of data related to Migration status, citizenship status in crimes
• It would require law enforcement to report to the state the number of people detained/put into custody by them who are:
  • US Citizens
  • Noncitizens with legal status in the United States
  • Noncitizens without legal status
• The bill has thirteen co-sponsors, all of whom are Republicans
• https://legiscan.com/OH/bill/HB42/2025

• The bill would mandate local authorities
• • participate in any DHS program enabling them to report Migration status of arrestees
  • report the identity of any arrestee they believe to be unlawfully present to the relevant federal Migration authorities
  • detain someone unlawfully present upon receiving a legal federal request or order to do so
• It also prohibits any “county, township, or municipal corporation or the law enforcement agency that serves the county, township, or municipal corporation” with enacting a range of policies that restrict its citizens or employees from doing the above, or from maintaining information about someone’s Migration status
• Municipalities found to be noncompliant will have reduced funding from the state
• Members of the general assembly have the power to bring charges of noncompliance, though the determination is made by the office of the attorney general.
• This is the old House Bill 666, introduced in the previous session

• Three federal judges blocked a Trump executive order limiting birthright citizenship on constitutional grounds
• The 14^th amendment states that all born in the US, and subject to the jurisdiction of the US, are US citizens from birth. Generally this has been taken to mean anybody in US territory, with some narrow exceptions, notably for foreign diplomats and their families, who are not subject to US law.
• Trump’s order would’ve made children of undocumented International Newcomers as well as legal International Newcomers who are here on a non-Migration visa ineligible.
• The issue is expected to end up at the Supreme Court
• https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5135920-judge-blocks-trump-birthright-order/

• A coalition of Displaced Persons groups are suing in federal court to see the suspension of Displaced Persons admissions overturned.
• The executive order “Realigning the United States Displaced Persons Resettlement Program” (discussed in detail above) suspended the program.
• The groups say that the orders violate federal law, particularly the Administrative Procedure Act, and the Migration and Nationality Act, as well as the Constitution’s due process clause. They also say that the order usurps Congress’ legislative power
• Groups backing the lawsuit included HIAS, Church World Service, and Lutheran Community Services Northwest, as well as individual Displaced Personss.
• https://www.jurist.org/news/2025/02/rights-groups-challenge-trumps-executive-order-suspending-Displaced Persons-admissions-in-court/

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:

• TPS Extended for Four Countries
• Proposed Changes to Citizenship Test Canceled
• Courts Deciding Record Numbers of Migration Cases

• In his last weeks in office, President Biden extended temporary protected status for Venezuela, El Salvador, Ukraine, and Sudan.
• President-elect Trump discussed ending the program altogether, making the extension, which lasts for 18 months, especially significant.
• Those eligible re-enroll include 600,000 Venezuelans, 232,000 Salvadorians, 103,700 Ukrainians, and 1,900 Sudanese.
• https://www.axios.com/2025/01/10/Migration-temporary-protected-status-extensions-biden

• A program announced last year that enables visas to be processed abroad for Afghan Displaced Personss began operations in early January 2025
• The Philippines agreed to host the program, with the US agreeing to pay for the costs to Displaced Personss.
• The AP reported the program would be limited, only serving about 150-300 applicants.
• https://apnews.com/article/philippines-afghans-us-International Newcomer-visa-2fbbc522321e3ab71b33d2cbcf58e9ac

• $55 million in fees for the Keeping Families Together initiative will be refunded.
• The initiative, which provided for a path to permanent residency for undocumented spouses of US citizens, was announced last year, but was suspended when a federal judge ruled that “the policy exceeded executive authority.”
• USCIS announced the refunds and said that they would be processed automatically.
• https://www.boundless.com/blog/u-s-refund-55-million-fees-blocked-parole-in-place-expansion/\

• Federal Migration authorities canceled planned changes to the US citizenship test after the proposal received negative feedback
• Public comments on the redesign criticized it for being an ineffective way to evaluate English language skills and was overly difficult for adult learners.
• The naturalization test format in use since 2008 will continue to be used in the future, Boundless Migration reported.
• https://www.boundless.com/blog/uscis-scraps-trial-new-naturalization-test/

• Tom Homan, tipped as the “border tsar” by President-Elect Trump, said that the use of family detention centers remained on the table.
• The practice, which was used to great controversy during Trump’s first administration, was ended by the Biden administration.
• Homan said it may be necessary to use family detention centers, as it was, in his view, essential to end the ‘catch and release’ policy.
• https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/Migration/trump-border-czar-tom-homan-family-detention-centers-deportation-rcna185508

• The US Senate voted to advance the Laken Riley Act with large bipartisan support, 84-9, though some have suggested it may need to be amended before it will have the support for final passage.
• The bill would require Migration and Customs Enforcement to take custody of those in the country without authorization who had been charged with theft and other similar crimes.
• The bill was introduced after its namesake, a Georgia nursing student, was murdered, with the suspect in her murder being a Venezuelan man in the country without authorization who had previously been arrested on theft charges.
• While mostly supported by Republicans, many Democratic Senators have also supported the bill.
• https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/senate-laken-riley-act-vote-illegal-Migration-rcna186775

• Massachusetts joins Washington State, Florida, Tennessee, Colorado, Virginia and more as state lawmakers passed a bill to open pathways for foreign-trained physicians in the state
• The Physician Pathway Act was passed as part of a broader economic development bill that was signed by Governor Maura Healy.
• The law will, like the Virginia bill, require physicians to practice in an underserved area for a period of time.
• https://commonwealthbeacon.org/health/new-law-grants-pathway-for-foreign-trained-doctors-to-fill-massachusetts-physician-shortage/

• The rules package passed in the new session of the House of Representatives, including several proposals for new Migration legislation
• The measures include:
  • An amendment to the Migration and Nationality Act
  • The Laken Riley Act
  • Making assaulting a law enforcement officer a deportable offense
  • Imposing criminal penalties for fleeing a pursuing federal officer in a car
  • Restrictions on federal funding for sanctuary cities
• https://rollcall.com/2025/01/02/house-republicans-look-to-tee-up-Migration-bills/

• Tennessee Senator Todd Gardenhire proposed an amendment that would change an earlier law that would exempt School Resource Officers from a requirement that they report a person’s Migration status.
• Senator Gardenhire stated the previous law was poorly written, and that it was wrong to punish children in school.
• The Senator also said if the law wasn’t passed, it would return to the agenda in the Spring.
• https://www.wkrn.com/news/tennessee-politics/republican-sponsored-bill-would-exempt-tn-sros-from-Migration-status-reporting-requirement/

• The Supreme Court found that appeals to revoked visas cannot be heard in federal court because the USCIS is a discretionary agency.
• The Court’s majority opinion, which was unanimous, was written by Justice Kentaji Brown Jackson.
• The court found that USCIS’ decisions to revoke a visa were not mandatory (which would have meant that officials were required to follow specific rules) but discretionary, which they said makes them ineligible for judicial review in federal court
• https://bizlegalservices.com/2024/12/12/supreme-court-confirms-no-judicial-review-for-revoked-visas/

• Amid attempts to reduce a backlog of Migration cases from the outgoing Biden administration, the Migration court system is deciding the most cases it has in years.
• President Biden has implemented a “fast track” system to reduce the backlog which has been estimated at exceeding 3 million cases.
• Syracuse University found that if this pace continues “Migration judges will rule on more deportation cases in 2025 than in any previous year.”
• https://www.axios.com/2024/12/31/biden-Migration-courts-deportations

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

This month’s Migration Update at a glance:

• President-Elect Donald Trump’s Migration plans
• Lebanon has faced a deteriorating situation as war has broken out over the past year between the Lebanese group Hezbollah and Israel. The Department of Homeland Security designated the country for Temporary Protective Status for 18 months.
• Three Migration-related bills are currently pending in the Ohio legislator

• President-Elect Donald Trump nominated Kristi Noem to be the Secretary of Homeland Security, which has responsibility over most Migration-related agencies
• Noem, currently Governor of South Dakota, was previously a US Congresswoman from the state’s at-large congressional district.
• Noem has occasionally been involved in Migration policy as Governor, in 2021, she sent her state’s National Guard to the border, funded by a Tennessee-based private donor, a practice subsequently banned in the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act.
• https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/12/politics/kristi-noem-homeland-security-secretary/index.html

• President-elect Trump may move to revoke Temporary Protective Status designations in an effort to curb Migration
• Trump and VP-elect Vance have particularly criticized the use of the program for Haitians and made the influx of Haitian International Newcomers in the Ohio city of Springfield an issue in their presidential campaigns.
• TPS Designation was offered to Haiti in the aftermath of the 2010 Earthquake and has been maintained since then, as the country has been in political turmoil.
• The TPS designations for Venezuela and Ukraine, among others, have been cited as potential targets.
• https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/15/us/trump-International Newcomers-temporary-protected-status.html

• Citing concerns over border security and drug trafficking, President-Elect Trump vowed to impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico until measures were taken by the US’ two neighbors to address these concerns.
• With both countries being top trading partners of the US, analysts have said this could cause severe economic consequences for the US as well as Canada and Mexico.
• Both Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Claudia Scheinbaum have had calls or meetings with Trump, and some have suggested this was a proposal intended to push both leaders to agree to measures on border security, and not intended to actually be implemented.
• https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-promises-25-tariff-products-mexico-canada-2024-11-25/

• With the return to the White House of Donald Trump next January, the US is expected by some to re-implement the “Remain in Mexico” Policy which required asylum seekers to stay in Mexico while having their claims processed.
• Earlier in the campaign, Trump said he would immediately reinstate the policy
• However, Senator Ted Cruz has suggested to Newsweek that the policy would in fact not be implemented for some time, perhaps months, while negotiations with Mexican authorities were ongoing.
• https://www.newsweek.com/trump-said-remain-mexico-will-start-day-1-heres-why-it-wont-1991018

• The stated plan of President-Elect Trump to use military forces to deport unauthorized International Newcomers has received criticism from the President’s Own Party, with Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky emerging as a critic of the plan
• Citing the imagery of military units deporting migrants, Paul stated that he “I’ll not support and will not vote to use the military in our cities.”
• With a closely divided Senate, Republican opposition to certain Trump Migration policies could potentially block certain legislative proposals from the White House.
• https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/25/rand-paul-trump-mass-deportation

• President-elect Trump has confirmed his intention to immediately declare a national emergency on the subject of illegal Migration, stating he would sign such a declaration on his first day in office.
• In the same statement, made on social media, Trump said he would use “military assets” to do the deportations.
• The use of military personnel and assets for deportations has proved controversial, including within Trump’s own Republican Party
• https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-confirms-plan-to-declare-national-emergency-use-military-for-mass-deportations/ar-AA1uirLn?ocid=entnewsntp&pc=U531&cvid=d2ebc740540248188eb6b4e37fd4b5ef&ei=95

• In Trump’s first administration, attempts to increase high-skilled Migration were stymied by the opposition of Migration hardliners, especially Stephen Miller, who has called for large reductions in legal Migration
• However, the inclusion of billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, himself an International Newcomer, in Trump’s circle, has led some in Silicon Valley and beyond to believe Musk and others may move the president in a different direction.
• Dan Stein of the Federation for American Migration Reform, which advocates for a more restrictive Migration policy, said that Trump was “definitely going to be more receptive to certain kinds of legal Migration expansion”
• Musk has at times publicly called for making the legal Migration process for highly skilled foreigners easier and faster.
• https://www.politico.com/news/2024/12/01/elon-musk-steven-miller-battle-high-tech-Migration-00191922

• Tom Homan, considered a hardliner on the issue of illegal Migration, was named by President-Elect Trump to be the new ‘border Czar’ to advise the president on border security issues
• Homan was previously at Migration and Customs Enforcement in Trump’s first term.
• In an interview with News Nation Homan said that mass deportations were a necessity and took a critical view towards sanctuary cities. As a non-cabinet post, the ‘border Czar’ appointment does not require congressional approval.
• https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/Migration/border-czar-tom-homan-deportations/

• Only two months into the fiscal year, the cap for high-skilled visa applicants on H-1Bs has been hit.
• Around 85,000 additional visas were allotted, according to the US Citizenship and Naturalization Service
• An Migration attorney told reporters from Newsweek that the current system and caps were “not sustainable” and with 8 million jobs open in the US, restrictions were hurting the economy
• https://www.newsweek.com/h1b-visa-cap-reached-uscis-Migration-1994405

• Lebanon has faced a deteriorating situation as war has broken out over the past year between Lebanese group Hezbollah and Israel
• The Department of Homeland Security designated the country for Temporary Protective Status for 18 months.
• In addition, DHS will allow students here from Lebanon to “work more hours, take fewer classes, and apply for off-campus jobs to ease the financial strain.”
• To be eligible, F-1 students must:
  • Be citizens of Lebanon or stateless individuals who last resided in Lebanon
  • Have valid F-1 status as of November 27^th 2024
  • Be enrolled in an institution certified by the student and exchange visitor program
  • Prove they are facing severe economic hardship because of the ongoing crisis in Lebanon
• https://www.boundless.com/blog/dhs-announces-tps-for-lebanon-and-relief-for-lebanese-f-1-students/

• Senator Catherine Cortez Mastro called for the extension of temporary protected status for International Newcomers by the Biden administration, amid concerns the incoming administration will likely curb them
• “what the president can do is just take legal action to extend their TPS statuses … but it’s not just our TPS recipients. My hope is that the president, in the last two months, also quickly processes our DACA recipient applications,” the senator told reporters.
• TPS currently covers seventeen countries, many of which run out in 2025
• https://www.msnbc.com/morning-joe/watch/senator-calls-on-biden-to-protect-legal-International Newcomers-before-trump-takes-office-226034245512

• California Rep. Judy Chu called on the administration to close a privately run Migration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in her state
• The Adelanto Detention Center has been the subject of complaints from non-profits, media, and government, including ICE officials, arguing it has failed to meet standards of care
• ICE had a self-imposed deadline last year to decide whether to close the facility, but no decision was made at that time.,
• https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/Migration/3249827/california-democrat-biden-administration-close-ice-detention-center/

• House Bill 671

  • Would criminalize the entry of an International Newcomer to Ohio if they lacked legal authorization to be in the US
  • The bill is modeled on a controversial Oklahoma Law, which is currently on hold amid legal challenges in federal court
  • The bill’s sponsor, Representative Gary Click, says that he doesn’t expect it to pass this year, but plans on reintroducing it next year.
  • Migration attorneys have raised concerns based what they called on constitutional issues as well as text that seems to be based on a misreading of federal Migration law.
  • https://woub.org/2024/10/17/republican-bill-penalize-International Newcomers-enter-ohio-without-federal-legal-status/

• House Bill 656

  • Introduced by Rep. Tom Patton, this bill would create restrictions and penalties for the hiring of unauthorized International Newcomers in the state
  • Under the bill, the company would face penalties for violations as well as verification and a probationary period to ensure compliance after an initial violation
  • Penalties would be worse for repeated violations of the law by the same company
  • https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/politics/2024/08/27/ohio-bill-would-punish-employers-of-people-living-in-the-u-s-illegally/74877359007/

• House Bill 666

  • Called the Protecting Ohio Communities Act, this bill would require local law enforcement to actively assist federal Migration authorities
  • Specifically, agencies would be required to report to ICE or other federal Migration authorities if they suspected someone was in the country without authorization
  • Entities that failed to do so would face serious losses of state funding, which could have significant consequences for the agencies’ budgets.

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

This month’s Migration Update at a glance:

• Governor DeWine Pens Op-Ed on Springfield Rhetoric
• Trump Says He’ll End Legal Status for International Newcomers Currently in the U.S. on Two Programs
• Rep Duarte Proposes Bill with Pathway for Dreamers, DACA Recipients

• Congress passed a funding measure that will keep the government open without attaching the SAVE Act, a voting-related bill.
• The SAVE Act would require proof of citizenship to register as a voter. Voting in federal elections is already limited to US citizens, and critics of the bill said that it would make it harder for citizens to vote who may lack specific forms of documentation.
• The effort to pass the bill had support from House Republicans, but did not have enough support to pass the Senate.
• The funding bill means that the government is funded until after the November election, where voters will elect the president as well as Congress.
• https://www.cnbc.com/2024/09/22/republican-house-speaker-johnson-trump-government-shutdown-funding-bill.html

• A major new study from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine reported that the US is in serious need of international talent
• The report recommended congress and the white house simplify the visa process for STEM graduates.
• The current process, the report concluded, is overly burdensome and are limiting our access to talent in ways that harms the US national interest
• https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/27787/international-talent-programs-in-the-changing-global-environment

• State Rep. Josh Williams introduced the Protecting Ohio Communities Act, which would require that state and local authorities cooperate with the federal government in the enforcement of Migration laws.
• Under the bill, municipalities would lose some state funding for noncompliance with the law
• Williams said that Ohio municipalities were encouraging undocumented Migration, and that cities that refused to cooperate with the federal authorities were costing the state money, as it had to do more to enforce laws.
• Casey Weinstein opposed the bill, saying it was trying to prevent something that isn’t happening in the state anyway and that it infringed on home rule.
• https://www.nbc4i.com/news/your-local-election-hq/Migration-targeted-by-proposed-ohio-bill/

• A new report found that while over 300 non-citizens had been mistakenly registered to vote in Oregon, only two of those people actually voted, and the issue was attributed to a legislative issue, not an attempt to illegally influence an election
• Oregon has had automatic voter registration at the Department of Motor Vehicles since 2016. In 2019, a change in state laws led to proof of citizenship not being required to be shown at the DMV, causing for some non-citizens to be mistakenly added to the voter rolls.
• Tobias Read, the Democratic nominee for Secretary of State, called on the Secretary of State’s office to work quickly to prevent the accidental registration from happening in the future.
• https://www.opb.org/article/2024/09/13/noncitizens-registered-oregon-error/ 

• The Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act passed the House of Representatives. The bill would require the federal government deport migrants who were in the United States without documentation if they had a history of domestic violence or sexual offenses.
• While backed by the GOP, the bill had significant bipartisan support, with 51 Democrats joining all Republicans in voting in favor.
• Many of the opponents of the bill have said that the issue is already covered by existing law, and new legislation is not needed.
• https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/house/3158796/house-bill-passes-requiring-deportation-illegal-International Newcomers-history-sex-offenses/

• Republican Congressman John Duarte discussed proposed legislation that would pair funding for border security with a pathway for legal status available to some DACA recipients and Dreamers
• Those who married a US Citizen, have children, or have been working in the US for five years would be eligible for a green card if they have no criminal history.
• “Dreamers and DACA recipients would be eligible for a Conditional Permanent Residency.,” which could be upgraded into a Lawful Permanent Residency if the applicant has “obtain(ed) a college degree, serve(d) at least three years in the military, or (have been) employed for at least four years,” Your Central Valley reported
• https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/local-news/get-our-families-out-of-the-shadows-rep-john-duarte-presents-Migration-bill-in-kerman/

• Ohio Governor Mike DeWine published a New York Times op-ed on the controversy surrounding Migration in Springfield, Ohio, which had become a topic in the ongoing presidential campaign
• DeWine, who grew up in nearby Yellow Springs, said “it is disappointing to me that Springfield has become the epicenter of vitriol over America’s Migration policy” and criticized false statements about Haitian International Newcomers in the city.
• DeWine has also sent state-level assistance to local authorities in the city.
• https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/20/opinion/springfield-haitian-migrants-ohio.html

• Former President and current candidate Donald Trump told reporters if elected he would end two humanitarian parole programs instituted by President Biden, thus ending the legal status of about one million people.
• The program that allows for migrants to use the CBP One app to enter the country and seek asylum, as well as the CHNV program that is open to nationals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, would be ended under this plan.
• Both programs have been the subject of ongoing litigation.
• Migration advocates criticized the former President’s statement, saying that the revoking of parole on this scale would be “unprecedented, and simply cruel”.
• https://apnews.com/article/trump-Migration-border-cuba-haiti-nicaragua-venezuela-biden-kamala-election-2b0a533fd9f4e96789f96f3e36021cf5

• Statistics show that naturalization applications are being approved at the fastest rate in years, with more then 4 million people gaining US citizenship since the end of 2020.
• Administration officials said that the increase is due to efforts to reduce the backlog of citizenship applications, which, though it existed before 2020, reached new heights during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Many new citizens have cited a desire to gain their citizenship in time to be eligible to vote in the upcoming general elections in November; naturalization rates are often higher than normal in election years.
• https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2024-09-26/with-an-election-looming-the-u-s-is-approving-citizenship-applications-at-the-fastest-speed-in-years

• The US Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Affirmed a federal law prohibiting those in the country without documentation from owning firearms.
• The case, Medina-Cantu v. US, involved an undocumented International Newcomer charged with unauthorized firearm possession, which Medina-Cantu argued violated his second amendment constitutional rights.
• Judges James Ho, Carolyn King, and Kurt Englehardt wrote that the second amendment did not provide a right for those in the country without authorization to carry firearms, citing the case United States v. Portillo-Munoz.
• https://mynbc15.com/news/nation-world/appeals-court-affirms-federal-law-banning-noncitizens-from-having-guns-common-sense-united-states-v-medina-cantu-jose-paz-medina-cantu-second-amendment-illegal-immigraton

• A new report from the American Migration Council found that 230 of the 500 companies listed on the Fortune 500 list were founded by International Newcomers or the children of International Newcomers.
• Several of America’s largest companies were in the list, including Apple (found by the son of a Syrian International Newcomer), Google (founded by a Russian International Newcomer), JPMorgan Chase (who’s co-founder’s father was born in Austria).
• Firms founded by International Newcomers and their children have a higher revenue than the entire GDP of Germany.
• https://www.americanMigrationcouncil.org/research/new-american-fortune-500-2024