Practice Resources
The Verification and Documentation Committee provide this practice pointer discussing impacts and considerations surrounding the Ohio E-Verify Law, which takes effect on March 19, 2026.
Federal Agencies, Agency Memos & Announcements
E-Verify announced the reintroduction of a feature that allows users to manage Point of Contact (POC) information directly within their accounts. E-Verify requests that employers log into their accounts to review and update contact information for their POCs and users.
Chapter Documents
2026 Philadelphia Chapter's Annual CLE Conference
March 27, 2026
Convene
30 S 17th St
Philadelphia, PA 19103
This event is being presented by AILA's Philadelphia's Chapter. This event is not being organized by the AILA National Office.
1/6/26
AILA Doc. No. 26010605.
AILA Announcements
Learn how AILALink is the perfect tool for electronic access to the books and other research resources you need. Sign up for our next group training at 2:00 pm (ET) on Tuesday, January 13.
1/6/26
AILA Doc. No. 15082740.
Practice Resources
The Verification and Documentation Committees provides a comprehensive chart on current status, key updates, and EAD notes for TPS and parole programs.
Federal Agencies, Agency Memos & Announcements
E-Verify announced that employers now have until 1/22/26 to download records for E-Verify cases last updated on or before 12/31/15. On 1/23/26, USCIS will dispose of these E-Verify records.
Federal Agencies, AILA Announcements
EOIR Director issued Policy Memorandum 26-01 on the annual asylum fee. EOIR will waive the fee for asylum applications that were pending for one year or more 4/5/25-9/30/25 and administratively final as of 9/30/25. EOIR will apply the fee to applications pending for one year or more as of 10/1/25.
Professional Resources
As 2025 ends, pause and plan for steady technology improvements in 2026, focusing on meaningful and manageable changes rather than overwhelming overhauls to get results.
AILA Blog
AILA Board of Governors Member Andrew Nietor calls for America to make some resolutions this New Year, writing that we must “remember that being a nation of immigrants is not a weakness to manage but an opportunity and a strength we must cultivate and steward.”
1/6/26
AILA Doc. No. 26010602.
Immigration News
Aggregated local and national media coverage of major immigration law news stories being discussed throughout the U.S. on January 6, 2026.
1/6/26
Practice Resources
The DOS Liaison Committee provides a briefing on the contents of the January 2026 visa bulletin.
Chapter Documents
Broken Systems, Open Hearts: 2026 Georgia-Alabama Chapter Annual Conference
February 13, 2026
Emory Conference Center
Atlanta, GA
This event is being presented by AILA's Georgia-Alabama Chapter. This event is not being organized by the AILA National Office.
1/6/26
AILA Doc. No. 26010600.
Federal Agencies, Agency Memos & Announcements
OFLC published the assignment groups for 10,062 H-2B applications covering 162,603 worker positions with the start date of work of 4/1/26. Group A includes enough worker positions to reach the H-2B semi-annual visa allotment of 33,000.
Federal Agencies, FR Regulations & Notices
DHS notice that the DHS Secretary has determined it is necessary to waive certain legal requirements in order to construct barriers and roads near the international border in the U.S. Border Patrol Del Rio Sector of Texas. The waiver is effective 12/30/2025. (90 FR 61158, 12/30/2025)
Federal Agencies, FR Regulations & Notices
CBP interim final rule and request for comments on CBP transitioning to electronic refunds, subject to limited exceptions. The rule outlines the process for receiving electronic refunds and, in case of a waiver, paper checks. The rule is effective 2/6/26. Comments are due 3/3/26. (91 FR 21, 1/2/26)
AILA Blog
AILA member Muhammed Üzüm explains why talking with candidates and employers about cap-independent options such as O-1 and L-1 visas that may fit their circumstances is crucial given the uncertainty surrounding the cost and timing of H-1B visa petitions.
1/5/26
Federal Agencies, Agency Memos & Announcements
DOL and DHS announced that 35,000 additional H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas will be available for FY26, on top of the 66,000 mandated by Congress for each fiscal year.
Federal Agencies, Agency Memos & Announcements
USCIS issued a policy memorandum (PM-602-0194) expanding the existing hold on all benefit applications and re-review of approved benefits for people from countries named in the travel ban to apply to the additional countries named in Presidential Proclamation 10998.
1/5/26
AILA Doc. No. 26010531.
Immigration News
Aggregated local and national media coverage of major immigration law news stories being discussed throughout the U.S. on January 5, 2026.
1/5/26
Practice Resources
Explore five categories of our well-being resources for what you need most right now.
Memo & Regulatory Comments
AILA submitted comments to USCIS requesting the agency to withdraw the proposed rule in the interest of protecting privacy, preventing agency overreach, and reducing burdens on both the agency and impacted individuals.
12/31/25
AILA Doc. No. 25123132.
Practice Resources
CBP’s Carrier Liaison Program issued a bulletin updating the list of countries that are exempt from the six-month rule and need only to have a passport valid for their intended period of stay.
Immigration News
Aggregated local and national media coverage of major immigration law news stories being discussed throughout the U.S. on December 31, 2025.
12/31/25
Federal Agencies, Agency Memos & Announcements
CBP’s Carrier Liaison Program (CLP) released information regarding the 12/16/25 presidential proclamation restricting the entry of foreign nationals from certain countries.
Federal Agencies, FR Regulations & Notices
Postal Service final rule on Postmarks and Postal Possession. The rule adds a new section to the Domestic Mail Manual defining postmarks and describing their usage. The rule is effective 12/24/25. AILA is evaluating the potential impact of this rule. (90 FR 52883, 11/24/25)
12/30/25
AILA Doc. No. 25123032.
Immigration News
Aggregated local and national media coverage of major immigration law news stories being discussed throughout the U.S. on December 30, 2025.
12/30/25
Federal Agencies, FR Regulations & Notices
USCIS and EOIR partial withdrawal and correction of Final Rule on Security Bars and Processing. The rule allows the agencies to consider public health risks a security risk bar to asylum and withholding of removal in the event of a public health emergency, effective 12/31/25. (90 FR 61035, 12/30/25)
Examples & Questions
AILA’s DOS Liaison committee seeks examples of 221(i) prudential revocations of nonimmigrant visas on or after January 1, 2025.
Agency Memos & Announcements
DHS announced publication of a final rule that allows DHS and DOJ to consider public health risks as a security risk bar to asylum and withholding of removal in the event of a public health emergency, effective 12/31/25. An advance copy of the rule, which will be published 12/30/25, is available.
Practice Resources
AILA’s DOS Liaison committee provides a practice alert detailing the process of prudential visa revocations and addressing recent reports of such revocations.
Federal Agencies, Agency Memos & Announcements
The Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) posted a reminder for stakeholders that the filing window to submit an H-2B Application for Temporary Employment Certification (Form ETA-9142B and appendices) requesting work start dates of 4/1/26 or later will open 1/1/26, at 12:00 a.m. ET.
Practice Resources
On November 19, 2025, a federal judge blocked the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Syria. On December 5, 2025, USCIS updated the TPS website for Syria in response. The Verification and Documentation Committee provide this practice alert for more details.
Practice Resources
AILA's Operations Committee has written a Practice Pointer with a Discretionary Analysis for Travel Ban countries.
Federal Agencies, FR Regulations & Notices
DHS issued a final rule implementing a weighted selection process that will generally favor the allocation of cap-subject H-1B visas to higher-paid workers. This rule will be effective on 2/27/26, in time for the FY 2027 registration season. (90 FR 60864, 12/29/25)
Immigration News
Aggregated local and national media coverage of major immigration law news stories being discussed throughout the U.S. on December 29, 2025.
12/29/25
Cases & Decisions, Federal Court Cases
The court held that it had jurisdiction to review the BIA’s extraordinary circumstances determination, but found that substantial evidence supported the BIA’s conclusion that childhood trauma did not excuse the petitioner’s 13-year delay in filing for asylum. (Ruiz v. Bondi, 12/22/25)
Cases & Decisions, Federal Court Cases
The court held that the petitioner’s Texas conviction for indecency with a child by sexual contact was categorically a “crime of child abuse” under INA §237(a)(2)(E)(i), and found that statutory authentication methods for conviction records are not exclusive. (Campuzano v. Bondi, 12/22/25)
Cases & Decisions, Federal Court Cases
The court held that substantial evidence supported the denial of asylum and related relief, finding that the Guatemalan petitioners were targeted for criminal extortion rather than a protected ground and could reasonably relocate within Guatemala. (Ramos-Hernandez, et al. v. Bondi, 12/22/25)