The Department of State's Visa Bulletin for February 2026 notes that the Employment-Based Fourth Preference Certain Religious Workers (SR) category is scheduled to expire on January 30, 2026. The bulletin states that the SR category is listed as "Unavailable" for all...
Topic: Immigration Updates
USCIS Releases Guidance on ‘Hold and Release’ Policies and Procedures
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released memoranda on "hold and release" policies and procedures for all pending asylum applications, USCIS benefit applications filed by individuals from "high-risk" countries, and Diversity Visa...
WHD Releases Info on ‘Project Firewall’ Enforcement Initiative to Maximize Compliance with H-1B Visa Program
The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) recently released an announcement and a flyer on "Project Firewall," a WHD "enforcement initiative to protect highly skilled U.S. workers and maximize compliance with the H-1B visa program." The announcement notes...
Harvard Hits High for Foreign Student Enrollment Despite Battles With Trump Administration
According to reports, Harvard University's international student enrollment hit a high of 6,749 students in the fall of 2025, which is nearly 28 percent of the total number of students studying at Harvard and is the highest recorded share since at least 2002. The...
DHS Reduces Wait Times for Certain Religious Workers Abroad
On January 14, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it has issued an interim final rule, effective immediately, to eliminate the one-year foreign residence requirement and allow thousands of religious workers in R-1 status, who had reached...
DHS Terminates TPS Designation for Somalia
On January 13, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it is terminating Somalia's Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation, effective March 17, 2026. DHS said it has automatically extended the validity of certain Employment Authorization...
DOS Announces Temporary Pause on Certain Visas for Nationals of 75 Countries
On January 14, 2026, the Department of State (DOS) announced a temporary pause on the issuance of immigrant visas (green cards from overseas) for nationals of 75 countries, effective January 21, 2026. DOS said this pause is for the government to review how immigrant...
DHS Launches Sweeping Fraud Investigation in Minnesota
On January 9, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that they have launched Operation PARRIS (Post-Admission Refugee Reverification and Integrity Strengthening) in Minnesota, "a sweeping...
DOS Adds Countries Subject to Visa Bonds and Expands Ports of Entry
The Department of State (DOS) has identified nationals from a list of countries as needing visa bonds. Any citizen or national traveling on a passport issued by one of these countries, who is found otherwise eligible for a B1/B2 visa, must post a bond for either...
DOL, DHS Announce Additional 35,000 Visas to Supplement FY 2026 H-2B Cap
The Departments of Labor (DOL) and Homeland Security (DHS) said they will make an additional 35,000 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas available for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026, on top of the congressionally mandated 66,000 H-2B visas that are available each fiscal...
