Overview
Protection-based status and programs
Asylum, TPS, DACA, and humanitarian parole protect people who cannot safely return home or face specific vulnerabilities. Country designations and program rules change frequently, particularly TPS, which is regularly extended, terminated, or litigated.
Asylum can be sought by anyone already in the U.S. or arriving at a port of entry who faces persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group.
TPS (Temporary Protected Status) protects nationals of specific countries affected by ongoing armed conflict, natural disasters, or extraordinary conditions. Each designation is country-specific and must be renewed periodically by DHS.
DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) allows certain individuals who arrived as children to receive protection from deportation and apply for work authorization. Its legal status has been contested in federal courts repeatedly since 2012.
Visa types in this category
High-signal items · last 90 days
What to watch
Ranked by impact: rule changes, fee updates, open comment periods, executive actions, and processing shifts. Not just newest: most consequential.
- Published USCISFeesFinal ruleDHS Announces Consequences for Unpaid Annual Asylum Fees, Unveils New H.R. 1 Requirements
- Published DHSUpdateUSCIS Reveals Rampant Fraud Among Juvenile Immigrant Claims
- Published Fed. RegisterExtension of Lebanon Designation for Temporary Protected Status
- Published USCISProcessingDHS Automatically Extends Temporary Protected Status for Lebanon
- Published USCISEmbassy / postsUSCIS Opens Asylum Office in San Antonio
- Published DHSDHS Takes Additional Steps to Crack Down on Asylum Fraud
All updates · newest first
Full update feed
Every update from this category in chronological order, excluding items already shown above.
- DHS Offers Protections for Lebanese Nationals Currently in the United StatesUSCISPos
- USCIS Announces Employment Authorization Procedures for Liberians Covered by Deferred Enforced DepartureUSCISPos
- USCIS to Open International Field Office in Quito, EcuadorUSCISPos
- USCIS Extends Employment Authorization Documents under Temporary Protected Status Designations of El Salvador, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and SudanUSCISPos
- USCIS Issues Guidance on In-Person Filing for Certain SIJ PetitionersUSCISNeu
- USCIS Shifts Workload for Form I-730 Following-to-Join Refugee PetitionsUSCISNeu
- USCIS Opens Additional San Francisco Asylum Office LocationUSCISPos
- Centralized Intake Processing of VAWA Self-Petitions and Related Filings at the Nebraska Service CenterUSCISNeu
- USCIS Strengthens T Nonimmigrant Visa Program and Protections for Trafficking VictimsUSCISPos
- USCIS Announces Employment Authorization Procedures for Palestinians Covered by Deferred Enforced DepartureUSCISPos