Category: Blog Posts

“Big Beautiful Bill” Includes Significant Increases in Funding for Immigration Enforcement and Adds New Fees on Immigration Benefit Requests 

The Issue  The Federal Budget Reconciliation Bill (a/k/a “the Big Beautiful Bill”) signed into law by President Trump contains unprecedented increases in funding for immigration enforcement and imposes significant new fees for immigration benefit requests. The new fees are effective immediately, although the Departments of Homeland Security and State are still in the process of […]

Written by on July 18, 2025

USCIS Announces that Fiscal Year 2026 H-1B Cap Has Been Reached

USCIS announced that the H-1B cap quota for fiscal year 2026 (meaning H-1B petitions submitted with lottery registrations in March 2024) has officially been filled.

USCIS ran the lottery initially in March. No further registrations will be selected. Companies are able to register the same and new candidates for the H-1B cap in the FY 2027 lottery in March 2026. Submission in 2025 will not have any impact on the likelihood of selection in 2026.

USCIS is in the process of sending non-selection notices to registrants and their attorneys through their online accounts. The status for properly submitted registrations that were not selected for the FY 2026 H-1B numerical allocations will show:

“Not Selected: Not selected – not eligible to file an H-1B cap petition based on this registration.”

Meltzer Hellrung will save these notices in its records.

For additional information about filing in the FY 2027 lottery please contact your Meltzer Hellrung attorney. We expect to start opening new applications in January.

Written by on July 18, 2025

Termination of Temporary Protected Status for Honduras and Nicaragua: Impact on Employers  

Overview of TPS Termination  The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Honduras and Nicaragua. Both designations officially ended on July 5, 2025, with a transition period concluding on September 8, 2025. This change has significant implications for HR and People Operations teams managing corporate immigration support, […]

Written by on July 11, 2025

Update on Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Designation for Haiti 

Important Update (July 2, 2025): A District Judge for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York has granted a request to set aside the Secretary of DHS’ decision to terminate TPS for Haiti as of September 2, 2025. As a result, the previous extension date of February 3, 2026, for Haiti’s […]

Written by on July 11, 2025

Supreme Court Decision on Birthright Citizenship Allows for Partial Implementation of Trump Administration Executive Order 

IMPORTANT UPDATE:  On July 10, 2025, a federal judge in New Hampshire granted nationwide class-action status to a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s January 20, 2025, proclamation restricting birthright citizenship and issued a preliminary injunction temporarily blocking the President’s from going into effect throughout the country. The judge also stayed his order for seven days, […]

Written by on July 10, 2025

Heightened Visa Scrutiny for Chinese Nationals: What HR and People Operations Leaders Need to Know

The U.S. government has intensified visa scrutiny for Chinese and Hong Kong nationals, targeting students, researchers, and professionals in critical technology fields. HR and People Operations teams must act quickly to mitigate compliance risks, anticipate processing delays, and support affected talent. Policy Shift: U.S. Increases Visa Scrutiny for Chinese Nationals The U.S. Department of State, […]

Written by on June 20, 2025

Venezuela TPS Holders: Work Authorization Guidance for HR and People Operations Leaders

Updated 9/9/25 Overview: What HR Needs to Know  Employers managing corporate immigration support for employees with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) from Venezuela must stay informed on key work authorization dates. With ongoing litigation and shifting policies, it’s essential to maintain Form I-9 compliance and proactively plan alternative immigration strategies. This guide​, revised as of September […]

Written by on June 20, 2025

TPS Ending for Afghanistan and Nepal: What HR and People Ops Leaders Need to Know

Overview of the TPS Wind-Down and Its Corporate Immigration Impact The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced that Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghanistan and Nepal will expire in 2025. This change affects the employment eligibility of TPS beneficiaries and requires prompt action from HR teams managing corporate immigration support. Afghanistan TPS ended: May […]

Written by on June 9, 2025