A federal court in Rhode Island has vacated four USCIS policies that froze green card, asylum, work permit, and naturalization cases for nationals of 39 countries since late 2025. The ruling is nationwide. An appeal by the government is expected.
USCIS issued a sweeping policy memo on May 21, 2026 instructing officers to treat adjustment of status as extraordinary discretionary relief, not a routine benefit. If you have a pending I-485 or are planning to file, this change affects you directly.
The H-1B program is undergoing its most significant changes in decades. A new wage-weighted lottery replaced the random selection process in February 2026, a $100,000 fee faces ongoing litigation, and a prevailing wage overhaul is now proposed. Here’s what New York employers need to know.