Month: April 2026

Strategic Immigration Compliance in an Era of Extreme Immigration Enforcement

As immigration compliance continues to evolve in 2026, employers are navigating a more structured and closely monitored environment. Understanding not only what is changing but how those changes impact day-to-day operations, has become increasingly important. In this session, Matthew Meltzer and Michael Turansick provide a practical overview of key developments affecting employer-sponsored immigration programs. The […]

Written by on April 30, 2026

Going to the Mat for Our Clients: Winning an AAO Appeal on an EB-1B Case

At our firm, we will continue to pursue immigration benefits for our clients. A recent success before the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) underscores exactly what that commitment looks like in practice. This case involved an EB-1B Outstanding Researcher green card position. Our client faced an unexpected and legally flawed obstacle: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services […]

Written by on April 30, 2026

Narrowing Visa Availability: USCIS Mandates Final Action Dates for May 2026

The release of the May 2026 Visa Bulletin brings a significant shift in immigrant visa availability for employment-based applicants. While previous months allowed many to file based on the more generous “Dates for Filing” chart, USCIS announced that in May 2026, all employment-based categories must use the stricter Final Action Dates chart.   The Move to Final Action […]

Written by on April 30, 2026

Navigating the New EU Entry/Exit System: What Full Implementation Means for European Business Travel

As of April 10, 2026, the European Union’s Entry/Exit System (EES) will be fully operational across all twenty-nine participating Schengen countries. This digital border infrastructure replaces manual passport stamping with a sophisticated biometric database, fundamentally changing the arrival process for non-EU travelers. For our clients, particularly those whose jobs require frequent European business travel, understanding how this system […]

Written by on April 24, 2026

ICE Adds New Substantive Violations to Form I-9 Compliance and Enforcement

For nearly 30 years, employers relied on a degree of leniency from Immigration and  Customs Enforcement (ICE) when it came to clerical errors on Form I-9. Under the long standing policy, many mistakes, like a missing date of birth or a missing date of hire, were  classified as “technical or procedural,” allowing businesses a 10-day […]

Written by on April 24, 2026

Edlow Nomination Signals Enforcement Centric Approach at USCIS

The Issue  On March 10, 2025, President Trump’s nominated Joseph Edlow to serve as Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). His nomination is subject to Senate confirmation which should begin within the next few months. On July 15, 2025, Mr. Edlow’s nomination was confirmed by the U.S. Senate by a vote of 52-47.  […]

Written by on April 13, 2026

Navigating STEM OPT – Recent DHS Fraud Concerns Highlight Importance of Employer Compliance  

With immigration compliance audits and site visits increasing in most employment-based immigration categories, the STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT) program is not immune to heightened scrutiny. While this program proven invaluable to both U.S. employers and foreign students for decades, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), which administers OPT, has recently raised concerns regarding the integrity of a variety of STEM OPT employment arrangements, particularly focusing on STEM OPT […]

Written by on April 2, 2026

DOL Proposes Significant Changes to Prevailing Wage Levels for Employment-Based Immigration Sponsorship

Introduction  As anticipated in a prior blog, the U.S. Department of Labor has now introduced a proposed regulation that would dramatically increase the prevailing wage levels for employment-based immigration programs such as PERM and the H-1B, H-1B1 and E-3 nonimmigrant categories. While the Department’s stated goals are to  ensure wages are commensurate with the experience, education, and supervision required for the job, particularly in occupations with high concentrations of H-1B workers, the practical effect of […]

Written by on April 2, 2026

DOS Further Expands Social Media Vetting for Visa Applicants 

Introduction  Effective March 30, 2026, the U.S. Department of State expanded its online presence review to include additional nonimmigrant visa classifications. The Department’s stated goal of this change is to enhance national security vetting across a broader range of visa applicants. The practical effects will include increased delays and intrusion into applicant personal information.  New Visa Classifications for Online Presence Review  The following nonimmigrant visa categories are now […]

Written by on April 2, 2026