The DOL updated processing times for PERM and prevailing wage determinations. As of Feb. 1, PERM applications from Sept. 2023 were still in review, with appeals from July 2024 under consideration. Analyst review averaged 489 days in Jan. 2025. PWD requests from July 2024 were being processed, with appeals from late 2024 under review. Center Director Reviews were ongoing for H-1B cases from Aug. 2024 and PERM cases from April 2024.

The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in China will now open nonimmigrant visa appointments weekly at set times. A new visa services system will launch on Feb. 8-9, 2025, in Pakistan, Egypt, Nepal, Qatar, and Kuwait. From Feb. 4-7, fee payments, call centers, and interview scheduling will be unavailable. Check embassy websites or ustraveldocs.com for updates.

DHS announced that on 1/29/25 President Trump signed his first piece of legislation into law, the Laken Riley Act, which mandates the federal detention of undocumented individuals who are accused of theft, burglary, assaulting a law enforcement officer, and any crime that causes death or serious bodily injury.

USCIS will open the FY 2026 H-1B cap registration from March 7 to March 24, 2025. Petitioners must register beneficiaries online account with a $215 fee. Selections will be announced by March 31 using a beneficiary-centric process. New organizational account features streamline data entry, and the Treasury has temporarily raised the daily credit card limit to $99,999.99 for high-volume payments.

DHS announced that on 1/29/25 President Trump signed his first piece of legislation into law, the Laken Riley Act, which mandates the federal detention of undocumented individuals who are accused of theft, burglary, assaulting a law enforcement officer, and any crime that causes death or serious bodily injury.

USCIS has announced system maintenance for the Contact Relationship Interface System (CRIS) on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, starting at 11:50 p.m. and ending on Thursday, February 6, 2025, at 2:00 a.m. Eastern Time. During this period, users may experience technical difficulties accessing several online tools, including Check My Case Status, e-Request, Change of Address online, Check Case Processing Times, Civil Surgeon Locator, Office Locator, File Online, myUSCIS online account, and the Service Request Management Tool (SRMT).

Nationwide immigration raids on 26 January led to 956 arrests, the highest since Trump’s return, per ICE. Raids occurred in cities like Chicago, Newark, and Miami. The White House denies quotas but backs Trump’s deportation agenda.

USCIS has temporarily stopped accepting Form I-134A in response to the Executive Order on border security issued on January 20, 2025. This pause is intended to facilitate a thorough review of all categorical parole processes as required by the order.

The Trump administration is closing “Safe Mobility Initiative” offices in Latin America, set up by Biden to offer legal immigration options and reduce illegal border crossings. Located in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Guatemala, these offices allowed migrants to apply for legal U.S. entry. The shutdown is part of a broader effort to reassess U.S. migration policies and align them with national interests, and follows President Trump’s executive order suspending the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.

The U.S. Department of State offers Special Passport Acceptance Fairs for first-time applicants and children applying in person using Form DS-11. Adults eligible to renew with Form DS-82 can apply online or by mail anytime. These events are held on evenings and weekends, with an updated list of events available monthly. Facilities offer routine and expedited service but do not issue passports directly, mailing applications to the Department of State. For urgent travel within two weeks, appointments can be made at one of 26 passport agencies or centers.

Effective January 22, 2025, USCIS announced it will no longer require adjustment of status applicants to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination on Form I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record. USCIS will not issue Requests for Evidence (RFEs), Notices of Intent to Deny (NOIDs), or deny applications solely due to the absence of COVID-19 vaccination documentation. This policy applies to all adjustment of status cases moving forward.

On January 23, a federal judge temporarily halted President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at ending birthright citizenship, labeling the policy as “blatantly unconstitutional.” The order, which seeks to revoke automatic citizenship for children born in the U.S. to noncitizen parents, has sparked numerous lawsuits nationwide. U.S. District Judge John Coughenour, appointed by Ronald Reagan, oversaw the initial hearing in a lawsuit spanning four states that challenges the executive order.