Policy & litigation

The Department of Homeland Security has used the Alien Terrorist Removal Court for the first time to remove a non-citizen deemed a terrorist threat. This marks the inaugural use of a specialized legal proceeding established decades ago but…

The Trump administration has maintained a policy of zero releases at the southern border for 16 consecutive months, meaning all apprehended migrants are either detained or immediately removed rather than released into the United States.…

On June 30, 2025, the President waived most U.S. sanctions on Syria, determining there has been a fundamental change in Syrian leadership and policies. The waiver applies to sanctions related to chemical and biological weapons use, though…

The U.S. Department of State is proposing to establish a data-sharing program with the U.S. Treasury Bureau of the Fiscal Service to conduct computer matching under the Privacy Act. The program will allow Treasury to share certain records…

An Afghan national was removed from the United States after admitting she is an alien terrorist in the first-ever case heard by the Alien Terrorist Removal Court (ATRC). This marks a historic use of a specialized legal process designed to…

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has removed more than 2,000 individuals identified as known or suspected terrorists under the current administration. This represents a significant enforcement action targeting national…

USCIS is revising its E-Verify program information collection and seeking public feedback on the changes. E-Verify is the federal system employers use to confirm worker eligibility. The revision will streamline or modify how employers and…

The U.S. government has designated Los Tiguerones as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist organization. This designation restricts financial transactions, travel, and other dealings with the group and its members. The designation may…

The U.S. government has designated Los Tiguerones as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). This official designation triggers restrictions on material support, fundraising, and recruitment for the group. The FTO status may affect visa…

A federal judge in California ordered the release of an MS-13 gang member who was facing deportation and is wanted for murder in El Salvador. The decision has drawn criticism from immigration enforcement advocates who argue it undermines…

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has increased deportation operations, removing individuals convicted of serious crimes including child sexual abuse, driving under the influence, and violent assault. The announcement highlights…

A federal court in California has temporarily blocked a Trump administration policy (PM-602-0193) that halted processing of diversity visa green-card applications. USCIS must now resume ordinary adjudication of pending diversity visa…

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reported a record number of arrests of undocumented immigrants in August. The announcement highlights increased enforcement activity across the country. This reflects ongoing prioritization of…

ICE conducted a major enforcement operation in New York, resulting in over 2,100 arrests of individuals believed to be in the country illegally. The operation, called Operation Rotten Apple, was highlighted by Secretary Mullin as…

The Department of Homeland Security, Department of Transportation, White House Fraud Task Force, and top federal prosecutors are launching a coordinated enforcement effort targeting fraud in the trucking industry. This interagency…

The State Department has revoked its designation of Al-Nusrah Front (also known as Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham) as a specially designated global terrorist organization. This change affects immigration and visa policy for individuals with ties to…

The United States has rescinded its designation of Syria as a state sponsor of terrorism. This change may affect visa processing, travel restrictions, and diplomatic relations with Syria. The rescission could impact Syrian nationals'…

A federal court in Northern California issued an order on August 24, 2026, blocking two USCIS policy memoranda (PM 602-0192 and PM 602-0194) in the case Red Eagle Law v. Joseph B. Edlow. The ruling temporarily prevents those policies from…

ICE has announced recent deportations of individuals with serious criminal convictions, including homicide, child sexual abuse, driving under the influence, and burglary offenses. The agency emphasized public safety as the focus of its…

ICE arrested individuals on serious criminal charges including attempted murder, child sexual abuse, sexual assault, and drug trafficking. The arrests were part of ICE's enforcement operations targeting criminal aliens. No additional…

ICE conducted an operation in Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland that resulted in more than 1,300 arrests of individuals present in the country without authorization. The operation was part of ICE's enforcement efforts in the region.…

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is implementing enhanced enforcement procedures under Executive Order 14411 to verify accuracy of importer of record data submitted on CBP Form 5106. Customs brokers and importers must provide verified…

A Cuban national has pleaded guilty to charges including alien smuggling, asylum fraud, and money laundering in a case where U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services played a key investigative role. This case demonstrates law enforcement…

USCIS released updated guidance on how it evaluates whether immigrants applying for permanent residency will likely become a public charge—a key factor that can block green card applications. The guidance explains the agency's standards…

The Trump Administration has maintained a policy of zero releases at the southern border for 15 consecutive months, meaning all individuals apprehended are detained rather than released pending immigration proceedings. This represents a…

DHS has conducted enforcement operations targeting individuals convicted of serious crimes including homicide, sexual assault, impaired driving, and violence. The enforcement action highlights the agency's focus on removing noncitizens…

ICE announced arrests of individuals charged with serious crimes including murder, violent assault, kidnapping, and drug trafficking. This enforcement action highlights ICE priorities but does not announce new immigration policy, visa…

The Department of Justice has filed denaturalization cases against 25 naturalized citizens accused of serious crimes including attempted murder, assault, and child sexual abuse. USCIS is partnering with DOJ to pursue these actions.…

A federal court has temporarily blocked a USCIS policy that would have restricted non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from participating in naturalization ceremonies. The stay, issued by the U.S. District Court for the District of…

USCIS is implementing a rule that allows it to require electronic filing for certain immigration forms as a national security measure. This interim final rule gives USCIS the authority to mandate e-filing rather than paper submissions for…

DHS announced deportations of individuals with criminal convictions, including those charged with murder, drug trafficking, and burglary. The announcement emphasizes enforcement priorities targeting noncitizens with serious criminal…

DHS has increased deportations of immigrants with serious criminal convictions, including murder, sexual assault, burglary, drunk driving, and drug trafficking. The agency is prioritizing removal of individuals with felony records and…

The Department of State has delegated certain authorities to the Assistant Secretary for Emerging Threats, likely affecting oversight of visa security, counterterrorism screening, and related immigration enforcement functions. This…

USCIS is tightening evidence standards for all immigration benefit applications, requiring applicants to prove eligibility at the time they file rather than at a later stage. This policy aims to reduce frivolous or incomplete requests and…

The State Department has published a notice of sanctions actions, adding persons to the Treasury Department's List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN List) based on the Secretary of State's determination.…

The U.S. has determined that certain foreign persons engaged in activities related to nonproliferation concerns under the Iran, North Korea, and Syria Nonproliferation Act (INKSNA). As a result, measures have been imposed against these…

DHS reports that crime rates have reached historic lows following deportations of criminal aliens by ICE. The data suggests that immigration enforcement operations targeting individuals with criminal convictions have contributed to…

ICE has requested that Virginia sanctuary jurisdiction authorities detain and transfer a foreign national who allegedly attempted to disarm a police officer in Fairfax County, rather than release him. The request highlights tension between…

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is pursuing civil penalties exceeding $470,000 against an immigration attorney accused of filing false asylum claims on behalf of clients. This case highlights enforcement against legal…

USCIS is proposing a new rule to allow immigration judges to impose civil money penalties on individuals who act in contempt of the judge's authority during proceedings. The rule will define what constitutes contempt, establish procedures…

ICE is requesting that Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger and local sanctuary officials not release an individual in custody who is accused of attacking a woman in Loudoun County. The request highlights a conflict between federal…

USCIS has announced a rule change designed to reduce the backlog in the asylum system. The change aims to speed up processing of asylum cases, which have accumulated a significant number of pending applications. This update affects…

USCIS announced a rule change aimed at reducing the backlog in the asylum system. The update streamlines asylum processing procedures to help clear pending cases more quickly. This change affects asylum applicants waiting for interview…

A federal court in Massachusetts issued an administrative stay blocking certain USCIS policies that were based on H.R. 1, the Reconciliation Act of 2025. The stay was granted in response to an emergency motion filed by the Venezuelan…

DHS reported issuing over $84 billion in civil fines to undocumented immigrants. The fines are part of immigration enforcement efforts targeting individuals without legal status. Details on the enforcement timeline, how fines are…

ICE announced arrests of individuals charged with attempted murder, child sexual abuse, and human trafficking. The enforcement action highlights ICE's focus on removing individuals accused of serious violent and exploitation crimes. These…

ICE filed a detainer request with North Carolina authorities seeking to prevent the release of an individual facing hit-and-run charges that resulted in three deaths. A detainer is a request to hold someone beyond their scheduled release…

The Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice announced plans to revoke U.S. citizenship from 10 naturalized citizens convicted of serious crimes including child molestation, fraud, and drug trafficking. This action is part…

The Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice announced plans to revoke U.S. citizenship from 10 naturalized citizens convicted of serious crimes including child abuse, fraud, and drug trafficking. The government is…

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin has sent letters to state Secretaries of State warning about non-citizens appearing on voter registration rolls. The action reflects federal concern about voter eligibility verification and state compliance…

The Trump Administration reports 14 consecutive months with zero releases of migrants at the U.S. border. This reflects a sustained enforcement posture involving detention of all apprehended individuals without release. The policy marks a…

DHS has partnered with the Department of Transportation to crack down on fraud in Commercial Driver's License (CDL) schools. The initiative targets fraudulent CDL training programs, likely used by foreign nationals seeking work visas tied…

USCIS has rescinded a 2022 regulation that made it harder to deny green card applications based on public charge (government benefits use). The change restores a stricter interpretation of who counts as likely to become a public charge,…

DHS has issued a statement calling on sanctuary city politicians to stop what it characterizes as violent rhetoric that may be encouraging vehicle attacks against federal law enforcement officers. The agency argues that inflammatory…

A federal court has ordered the release of an individual convicted of aircraft hijacking who is in immigration custody. The ruling appears to challenge the government's detention authority in this case. Court decisions on detention and…

ICE arrested an individual accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a child in Illinois. The agency is opposing a state policy that would release the person from custody. This case highlights tensions between federal immigration…

ICE announced arrests of individuals with serious criminal histories, including attempted murder, child exploitation, and gang activity. These enforcement actions target people with substantial criminal records already in the immigration…

The State Department is updating its Title VI civil rights regulations to align with the actual statute and Executive Order 14281. This procedural change affects how the department handles civil rights compliance across its operations,…

ICE has filed a detainer requesting that Virginia officials hold an individual arrested on rape and abduction charges pending immigration proceedings. The detainer is a formal request to keep someone in custody beyond their release date so…

The Chone Killers organization has been designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). This designation may affect immigration benefits, visa eligibility, and admissibility for individuals with ties to this organization. Persons who…

The Chone Killers organization has been designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) entity. This designation affects immigration eligibility and visa admissibility for individuals connected to the organization. Persons who…

Secretary Mullin has publicly endorsed President Trump's nominee for Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The nomination signals potential shifts in immigration enforcement priorities and direction. No specific policy…

DHS has announced a statement following successful outcomes in multiple Supreme Court cases. The agency's legal positions have been upheld by the highest court, strengthening its enforcement and policy authority. This development likely…

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced it has arrested more than 10,000 individuals identified as gang members under the Trump administration. The operation focuses on criminal alien enforcement and public safety priorities.…

The State Department has delegated authority to the Coordinator for Counterterrorism to review and deny petitions for terrorist designations. This is an internal administrative action that affects how terrorist-related visa denials and…

The Trump administration has maintained zero releases at the U.S. border for 13 consecutive months, meaning all apprehended individuals are detained pending processing or deportation. This policy represents a dramatic shift from previous…

ICE has requested that New York sanctuary officials not release an individual in their custody who has been charged with rape of a minor. The request highlights the tension between federal immigration enforcement priorities and local…

The State Department is streamlining reporting requirements for international arms sales under Executive Order 14268, specifically reducing the burden of political contribution and fee disclosures in the International Traffic in Arms…

A federal court in Rhode Island on June 5, 2026 vacated three USCIS policy memoranda (PM 602-0192, PM 602-0194, and PA 2025-26) related to hold policies. The court order overturns these guidance documents, which likely affects how USCIS…

Secretary Mullin met with Marcus and Dalilah Coleman, members of an 'Angel Family'—a family that has lost a loved one to a crime committed by an undocumented immigrant. This meeting highlights the Trump administration's focus on victims of…

The Department of Justice is updating fee regulations for cases filed with the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), the immigration court system, to comply with new statutory requirements. This interim final rule establishes new…

DHS has directed ICE to prioritize deportation of foreign nationals who vote in U.S. elections. Voting while not a citizen is a federal crime and grounds for deportation under immigration law. This directive aims to enforce existing…

The State Department is updating its Risk Analysis and Management (RAM) information collection process used in visa adjudication and immigration screening. The agency is requesting public comments on the revised procedures. Public comments…

The U.S. has designated Primeiro Comando da Capital and Comando Vermelho as Specially Designated Global Terrorists. These designations may affect visa eligibility, financial transactions, and immigration benefits for individuals or…

USCIS has discovered widespread fraud in applications from immigrants claiming to be juveniles, potentially affecting thousands of pending cases. The agency is reviewing claims and may deny or delay benefits for applicants found to have…

ICE officers conducted enforcement operations targeting individuals convicted of murder, sexual assault, violent crimes, and other serious offenses. The agency publicized these arrests as part of its deportation and criminal enforcement…

DHS Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is updating the Departure Notification Record information collection system and has submitted it to the Office of Management and Budget for final review and approval. The collection was…

DHS released a statement highlighting arrests of individuals with criminal records in New Jersey, describing them as part of enforcement operations in the state. The announcement appears to be a response to criticism of ICE operations.…

A criminal alien was released from jail by California authorities and subsequently committed violent crimes including the stabbing of two women and a baby. This incident highlights tensions between local sanctuary policies and federal…

The Department of Labor has cancelled its 2026 civil monetary penalty adjustments for immigration-related violations because the Bureau of Labor Statistics did not release required October 2025 inflation data due to a government funding…