Policy tracker · 2025–2026
2025–2026 U.S. Immigration Law and Policy Tracker
Key takeaway
From January 2025 through June 2026, federal immigration policy shifted toward stricter screening, more consular processing, TPS terminations and extensions, fee changes, and significant court challenges. This tracker links official sources, monthly hubs, and Velasco Law Firm exp
From January 2025 through June 2026, federal immigration policy shifted toward stricter screening, more consular processing, TPS terminations and extensions, fee changes, and significant court challenges. This tracker links official sources, monthly hubs, and Velasco Law Firm explainers without duplicating prior posts.
What changed in 2025–2026
From January 2025 through June 2026, federal immigration policy shifted toward stricter screening, expanded consular processing expectations, TPS terminations and extensions, fee changes, and significant court challenges. This tracker links official sources only.
Monthly hubs
Month-by-month official update pages—shorter timelines with links to full guides where available.
Timeline by month
- June 10, 2026 — India EB-5 unreserved per-country limit reached (DOS · Green cards / adjustment of status)
DOS announced FY 2026 EB-5 unreserved visas for India-chargeable applicants exhausted until October 1, 2026.
- June 5, 2026 — Rhode Island court vacated USCIS hold policies (D.R.I. · Federal court rulings)
Court vacated Global Asylum Hold, Benefits Hold, Comprehensive Re-Review, and Country-Specific Factors policies.
- June 5, 2026 — DHS proposed discretionary EAD clarification rule (DHS · Work permits / EAD)
Proposed rule would narrow discretionary employment authorization for certain parolees and deferred-action recipients. Proposal only.
- May 29, 2026 — Federal Register notice — Lebanon TPS automatic extension (DHS · TPS updates)
Federal Register published Extension of Lebanon Designation for TPS (91 FR 32069).
- May 28, 2026 — TPS Lebanon automatically extended through November 27, 2026 (DHS / USCIS · TPS updates)
Six-month automatic extension after secretary missed statutory decision deadline.
- May 22, 2026 — India EB-2 per-country limit reached in FY 2026 (DOS · Green cards / adjustment of status)
Department of State announced India-chargeable EB-2 annual limit reached for fiscal year 2026.
- May 22, 2026 — USCIS announced AOS only in extraordinary circumstances (USCIS · Green cards / adjustment of status)
Public news release announced the May 2026 adjustment-of-status policy shift.
- May 21, 2026 — USCIS adjustment-of-status policy memo PM-602-0199 (USCIS · Green cards / adjustment of status)
Policy memo directs officers to treat AOS as extraordinary relief with consular processing as default.
- May 18, 2026 — Temporary pause of visa operations in Juba, Kinshasa, and Kampala (DOS · Consular processing / State Department)
DOS paused all visa services at three posts because of Ebola-related operational concerns.
- May 13, 2026 — Countries subject to visa bonds (DOS · Consular processing / State Department)
State Department published country lists and implementation dates for visa bonds.
- April 29, 2026 — H.R.-1 asylum fee interim final rule (2026 IFR) (DHS / USCIS · Asylum)
DHS codified asylum fee handling including consequences for unpaid annual asylum fees.
- April 16, 2026 — USCIS SIJ deferred-action request framework update (USCIS · USCIS policy updates)
USCIS described updated SIJ deferred-action request procedures after rescission of automatic deferred action.
- March 30, 2026 — USCIS strengthened screening and vetting alert (USCIS · USCIS policy updates)
USCIS confirmed continuing intensified screening and vetting for benefit applications.
- March 25, 2026 — DOS expanded visa applicant screening and vetting (DOS · Consular processing / State Department)
State Department expanded online-presence review for covered visa classes.
- March 3, 2026 — Federal court allowed part of refugee-processing challenge to continue (D.D.C. · Federal court rulings)
Court addressed APA challenge to refugee-processing suspension policies.
- February 23, 2026 — Proposed asylum EAD reform rule published (DHS · Work permits / EAD)
Proposed rule would impose a 365-day wait and tighter asylum-EAD eligibility rules. This is a proposal, not a final rule.
- February 23, 2026 — EOIR electronic payment requirement (EOIR · Immigration court / EOIR)
EOIR required electronic payment of immigration fees as of February 23, 2026.
- February 12, 2026 — Court postponed South Sudan TPS termination effort (D. Mass. · Federal court rulings)
Court postponed termination under 5 U.S.C. § 705.
- February 2, 2026 — Visa issuance suspension under travel proclamation (DOS · Consular processing / State Department)
State Department operationalized visa-issuance suspensions under the late-2025 proclamation framework.
- January 21, 2026 — EOIR FY 2026 fee inflation notice (DOJ / EOIR · Immigration court / EOIR)
Inflation-adjusted EOIR fees effective February 1, 2026.
- January 16, 2026 — R-1 one-year abroad rule removed (DHS · Work permits / EAD)
DHS removed the requirement that certain R-1 religious workers remain abroad one year before readmission.
- January 14, 2026 — Somalia TPS termination notice (DHS · TPS updates)
DHS terminated Somalia TPS effective March 17, 2026.
- December 23, 2025 — Diversity visa issuance pause (DOS · Consular processing / State Department)
State Department paused diversity visa issuances effective immediately per updated guidance.
- December 19, 2025 — Proclamation 10998 — late-2025 entry restrictions (White House · Consular processing / State Department)
Proclamation reset the late-2025 and 2026 entry-restriction framework implemented by State Department guidance in 2026.
- December 15, 2025 — Family reunification parole processes terminated (DHS · Family immigration)
DHS terminated several family reunification parole processes.
- December 15, 2025 — Ethiopia TPS termination notice (DHS · TPS updates)
DHS terminated Ethiopia TPS effective February 13, 2026.
- November 28, 2025 — Haiti TPS termination notice (DHS · TPS updates)
New termination notice reflected prior court rulings on earliest effective dates.
- November 25, 2025 — Burma TPS termination notice (DHS · TPS updates)
DHS terminated Burma TPS effective January 26, 2026.
- October 29, 2025 — Automatic EAD extensions ended for many renewal filers (DHS / USCIS · Work permits / EAD)
USCIS ended the broad automatic extension rule for many EAD renewals filed on or after October 30, 2025, with limited exceptions.
USCIS — DHS ends automatic extension of employment authorization
- October 17, 2025 — USCIS recognized marriages policy update (USCIS · Family immigration)
USCIS updated guidance on recognized marriages and early marriage-fraud screening in spousal cases.
- September 17, 2025 — USCIS announced naturalization test changes (USCIS · Naturalization)
USCIS announced first changes in a multi-step overhaul of the naturalization civics test.
- August 22, 2025 — USCIS resumed personal investigations in naturalization (USCIS · Naturalization)
Policy memo PM-602-0189 directed resumption of personal investigations in naturalization matters under INA 335.
- August 1, 2025 — USCIS updated family-based petition guidance (USCIS · Family immigration)
Policy Manual chapter updated family-petition review, including evaluation of prior spousal petition history.
- July 22, 2025 — USCIS H.R.-1 immigration fees interim final rule (DHS / USCIS · USCIS policy updates)
Major fee changes for asylum, EAD, parole, SIJ, and related filings under H.R.-1 reconciliation requirements.
- July 1, 2025 — Federal court ruling on Haiti TPS vacatur actions (E.D.N.Y. · Federal court rulings)
Court addressed DHS vacatur actions affecting Haiti TPS, affecting later termination timing discussions.
- June 10, 2025 — Proclamation 10949 — entry restrictions framework (White House · Consular processing / State Department)
Presidential proclamation established a June 2025 entry-restriction framework later implemented through State Department guidance.
- June 6, 2025 — USCIS rescinded automatic SIJ deferred-action policy (USCIS · USCIS policy updates)
USCIS ended the 2022 policy of automatic deferred action for certain Special Immigrant Juveniles when no visa was immediately available.
- June 4, 2025 — Cameroon TPS termination notice (DHS · TPS updates)
DHS terminated Cameroon TPS effective August 4, 2025.
- May 6, 2025 — South Sudan TPS automatic six-month extension (DHS · TPS updates)
Automatic six-month extension through November 3, 2025 after timely secretary determination was not made.
- February 5, 2025 — Venezuela TPS termination (2023 designation) (DHS · TPS updates)
DHS terminated the October 2023 Venezuela TPS designation, prompting litigation.
- January 30, 2025 — EO 14161 — screening and vetting baseline (White House / DHS · USCIS policy updates)
Executive Order 14161 set an early-2025 screening and vetting policy baseline referenced in later USCIS and State Department actions.
- January 30, 2025 — EO 14163 — refugee admissions suspension (White House / DHS · Asylum)
Executive Order 14163 suspended the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program effective January 27, 2025, with narrow exceptions.
- January 17, 2025 — Sudan TPS extended through October 19, 2026 (DHS · TPS updates)
Federal Register notice extended Sudan TPS designation for 18 months.
- January 17, 2025 — Ukraine TPS extended through October 19, 2026 (DHS · TPS updates)
Federal Register notice extended Ukraine TPS for 18 months.
- January 17, 2025 — El Salvador TPS extended through September 9, 2026 (DHS · TPS updates)
Federal Register notice extended El Salvador TPS.
- January 17, 2025 — Venezuela TPS extension notice (2023 designation) (DHS · TPS updates)
DHS published an extension notice for the October 2023 Venezuela designation before later termination actions.
By category
USCIS policy updates
- April 16, 2026 — USCIS SIJ deferred-action request framework update
- March 30, 2026 — USCIS strengthened screening and vetting alert
- July 22, 2025 — USCIS H.R.-1 immigration fees interim final rule
- June 6, 2025 — USCIS rescinded automatic SIJ deferred-action policy
- January 30, 2025 — EO 14161 — screening and vetting baseline
TPS updates
- May 29, 2026 — Federal Register notice — Lebanon TPS automatic extension
- May 28, 2026 — TPS Lebanon automatically extended through November 27, 2026
- January 14, 2026 — Somalia TPS termination notice
- December 15, 2025 — Ethiopia TPS termination notice
- November 28, 2025 — Haiti TPS termination notice
- November 25, 2025 — Burma TPS termination notice
- June 4, 2025 — Cameroon TPS termination notice
- May 6, 2025 — South Sudan TPS automatic six-month extension
Work permits / EAD
- June 5, 2026 — DHS proposed discretionary EAD clarification rule
- February 23, 2026 — Proposed asylum EAD reform rule published
- January 16, 2026 — R-1 one-year abroad rule removed
- October 29, 2025 — Automatic EAD extensions ended for many renewal filers
Green cards / adjustment of status
- June 10, 2026 — India EB-5 unreserved per-country limit reached
- May 22, 2026 — India EB-2 per-country limit reached in FY 2026
- May 22, 2026 — USCIS announced AOS only in extraordinary circumstances
- May 21, 2026 — USCIS adjustment-of-status policy memo PM-602-0199
Family immigration
- December 15, 2025 — Family reunification parole processes terminated
- October 17, 2025 — USCIS recognized marriages policy update
- August 1, 2025 — USCIS updated family-based petition guidance
Naturalization
- September 17, 2025 — USCIS announced naturalization test changes
- August 22, 2025 — USCIS resumed personal investigations in naturalization
Asylum
- April 29, 2026 — H.R.-1 asylum fee interim final rule (2026 IFR)
- January 30, 2025 — EO 14163 — refugee admissions suspension
Consular processing / State Department
- May 18, 2026 — Temporary pause of visa operations in Juba, Kinshasa, and Kampala
- May 13, 2026 — Countries subject to visa bonds
- March 25, 2026 — DOS expanded visa applicant screening and vetting
- February 2, 2026 — Visa issuance suspension under travel proclamation
- December 23, 2025 — Diversity visa issuance pause
- December 19, 2025 — Proclamation 10998 — late-2025 entry restrictions
- June 10, 2025 — Proclamation 10949 — entry restrictions framework
Immigration court / EOIR
- February 23, 2026 — EOIR electronic payment requirement
- January 21, 2026 — EOIR FY 2026 fee inflation notice
Federal court rulings
- June 5, 2026 — Rhode Island court vacated USCIS hold policies
- March 3, 2026 — Federal court allowed part of refugee-processing challenge to continue
- February 12, 2026 — Court postponed South Sudan TPS termination effort
- July 1, 2025 — Federal court ruling on Haiti TPS vacatur actions
What to do next
- Save the full notice, receipt, envelope, and any deadline exactly as written.
- Write a short timeline with dates, agency names, court or facility names, and prior filings.
- If ICE, court, detention, an RFE, NOID, denial, or a close deadline is involved, start intake and mark the issue urgent.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 2025–2026 immigration policy tracker?
A Velasco Law Firm index of major official USCIS, DHS, State Department, EOIR, and federal court actions from January 2025 through June 2026, with links to monthly hubs and explainers.
Does this tracker include every USCIS form change?
No. It focuses on major policy, fee, TPS, travel, court, and adjudication shifts—not routine form edition updates without legal effect.
Can I rely on this instead of an attorney?
No. This is general information. Immigration outcomes depend on individual facts, notices, and deadlines.
Where are the May 2026 adjustment-of-status updates?
See our USCIS May 2026 adjustment-of-status memo explainer linked from May 2026 entries.
Where is the June 2026 federal court ruling on USCIS holds?
See our Dorcas v. USCIS explainer linked from June 2026 entries.
Where is the Lebanon TPS extension?
See our TPS Lebanon extension explainer linked from May 2026 entries.
Are proposed rules treated as final law here?
No. Proposed rules are labeled as proposals. Only final rules, orders, and agency announcements are described as current policy.
How often is this page reviewed?
Last reviewed June 11, 2026. Major new official actions may be added after review.
Why link monthly hubs?
Monthly hubs group official actions by calendar month for readers tracking recent changes.
What should I do if I receive a government notice?
Save the notice, check official case status online, update your address with every agency, and seek case-specific review before missing a deadline.
Does Velasco Law Firm guarantee outcomes?
No. This site provides general information only, not legal advice, and no outcome is promised.
Which sources are used?
Only official sources such as uscis.gov, dhs.gov, federalregister.gov, travel.state.gov, justice.gov/eoir, and govinfo.gov court PDFs.
Are news articles cited?
No. If an official .gov source is missing, we do not publish the claim.
How do I contact the firm?
Use the intake form with your notice, receipt number, and deadline.
Is Spanish available for these pages?
Spanish mirrors are deferred pending a safe generation path. See the follow-up checklist in the pull request summary.
Key official sources
Each timeline entry above links its official source directly. This section lists 24 key official sources prioritized newest-first (45 unique official sources across the full tracker).
- DOS — India EB-5 cap notice
- GovInfo — Dorcas v. USCIS opinion
- Federal Register — Discretionary EAD proposed rule
- Federal Register — Lebanon TPS extension
- USCIS alert — TPS Lebanon extension
- DOS — India EB-2 per-country limit
- USCIS news release — AOS extraordinary circumstances
- USCIS PM-602-0199 PDF
- DOS — Temporary pause of visa operations
- DOS — Countries subject to visa bonds
- Federal Register — H.R.-1 asylum fee IFR
- USCIS SIJ FAQ page
- USCIS alert — strengthened screening and vetting
- DOS — Expanded screening and vetting announcement
- GovInfo — Ruhumuriza v. Trump opinion
- Federal Register — Asylum EAD proposed rule
- EOIR — Executive Office for Immigration Review
- GovInfo — South Sudan TPS court order
- DOS — Suspension of visa issuance page
- EOIR Federal Register notices 2026
- Federal Register — Somalia TPS termination
- DOS — Diversity visa issuance updated guidance
- Federal Register — Proclamation 10998
- GovInfo — Family reunification parole termination
Need help understanding your notice or deadline?
Start intake with the notice, deadline, A-number or receipt number if available, and the safest callback number. The firm reviews the request before confirming next steps.