Immigration Updates: Public Charge, F-1/J1 Visas New Rules, Birthright Citizenship Upheld
Immigration law continues to evolve, with recent developments affecting individuals, families, and international students. Below is a summary of several notable updates announced in July 2026. Public Charge: New Guidance kicks in on September 18, 2026. The public charge policy remains an important consideration for certain individuals applying for lawful permanent residence or admission to the United States. Under the rescinded 2022 rule, immigration officials applied a narrower framework focused on whether an individual was likely to become primarily dependent on government assistance in the future. Under the new rule effective September 18, 2026, officials will again apply a broader totality-of-the-circumstances review and may consider additional factors, including age, health, […]
New Edition of Form I-589 And Changes to Supporting Documentation, Requirements and Filing
Filing new edition of the Form I-589 Applicants NO LONGER NEED to submit:
o a passport-style photo,
o multiple copies of the form,
o multiple copies of the supporting documentation.
USCIS set to increase the Filing Fees from October 2, 2020
On August 3, 2020, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) finalized changes to the fees U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) charges for various immigration applications. In sum, DHS is increasing fees drastically, adding a new $50 fee for asylum applications, limiting fee waivers, slightly discounting fees for forms currently available for online filing, and charging separate fees for Forms I-765 and I-131 when filed with a pending or concurrently filed Form I-485. These changes are effective October 2, 2020—thus, any application, petition, or request postmarked on this date or later must include payment of the fees established by DHS’s final fee rule. Note that litigation may impact the effective […]
USCIS Issues More Deportation Notices
USCIS Begins Implementing Plan to Issue More Deportation Notices Written by Aaron Reichlin-Melnick of American Immigration Council U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued guidance to its officers in June instructing them to initiate deportation proceedings for certain applicants who were denied immigration benefits. At the same time, the agency put the guidance on hold and solicited comments from the public. On Monday, October 2, 2018, the guidance went into full effect, putting thousands of applicants at risk of deportation. USCIS’s new policy will lead the agency to issue “Notices to Appear” (NTAs), documents which formally initiate removal proceedings against a noncitizen, whenever the agency denies an applicant with no […]
USCIS Update on Visas for Students and Exchange Visitors
Students and Exchange Visitors at Risk of Being Barred from U.S. Under New USCIS Policy Written by Leslie Dellon from American Immigration Council’s Immigration Impact U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a revised, final policy memorandum on August 9, 2018 that radically changes how the agency will determine when a foreign student or exchange visitor is “unlawfully present” in the United States. “Unlawful presence” is a legal term used to describe any time spent in the United States after a foreign national’s period of authorized stay has ended. Most foreign nationals who are inspected and admitted in nonimmigrant status are authorized to remain in the United States until a specific date. However, academic program […]