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This Executive Order invokes the President’s constitutional authority and powers under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and restricts any foreign nationals from entering the US across the southern border until the President determines that the immigrant “invasion” has ended. It also directs the suspension of entry for foreign nationals who pose a public health, safety, or national security risk. It also re-emphasizes the use of broad bans on entry for certain foreign nationals, using the legal provision evoked previously under the “Muslim Ban.” The EO sets the groundwork for future foreign national bans based on national origin or other parameters. Section 3 authorizes federal officials to deny entry to any foreign national who fails to provide sufficient medical information, reliable criminal history, and background information. The EO does not define parameters of “sufficient medical information” or “reliable criminal history.” |
This Executive Order enhances vetting and screening during the visa issuance processes across agencies. The EO also directs the Secretary of State to identify countries with insufficient vetting information and consider suspending admissions from those countries. The EO also calls for reviewing and adjusting policies regarding inadmissibility, refugee admissions, visa programs, and the protection of constitutional rights. The EO directs agencies to suggest the banning of admission of foreign nationals from certain countries within 60 days. This could replicate the “Muslim Ban” by March 2025, though the list of banned countries is expected to be more expansive than the prior Trump administration. This EO applies to foreign nationals outside the US and those already present in the country, suggesting that some legal foreign nationals could be re-vetted to ensure that they do not “bear hostile attitudes toward [U.S.] citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles, and do not advocate for, aid, or support designated foreign terrorists and other threats to our national security.” This includes the use of denaturalization pursuant to 8 U.S.C. Sec. 1451. |
Pursuant to this vacatur, USCIS will no longer accept Venezuela TPS re-registration applications (Form 1-821) and associated Applications for Employment Authorization (Form 1-765) filed under the Mayorkas Notice. For TPS beneficiaries who have already filed applications to re-register for TPS pursuant to the Mayorkas Notice and paid any fees associated with their applications, USCIS will cease processing their applications and issue refunds of any fees paid by those aliens. Additionally, USCIS will invalidate EADs; Forms 1-797, Notice of Action (Approval Notice); and Forms 1-94, Arrival/Departure Record (collectively known as TPS-related documentation) that have been issued with October 2, 2026 expiration dates under the Mayorkas Notice. USCIS will provide refunds for any fees paid by these aliens as well. Secretary Noem vacated the decisions announced on January 17, 2025, with a notice titled Extension of the 2023 Designation of Venezuela for TPS. As a result, the Venezuela 2023 TPS designation and the Venezuela 2021 TPS designation remain in effect, and their associated statutory deadlines remain in effect. |
This Executive Order instructs every Federal executive department and agency leader to review and report to the White House within sixty days on all criminal and civil authorities and actions available for fighting antisemitism. In addition to identifying relevant authorities to curb or combat antisemitism generally required by this section, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Education, and the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with each other, shall include in their reports recommendations for familiarizing institutions of higher education with the grounds for inadmissibility under 8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(3) so that such institutions may monitor for and report activities by alien students and staff relevant to those grounds and for ensuring that such reports about aliens lead, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to investigations and, if warranted, actions to remove such aliens. According to the Fact Sheet, the Federal Government will deport Hamas Sympathizers and Revoke Student Visas: “To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice: come 2025, we will find you, and we will deport you. I will also quickly cancel the student visas of all Hamas sympathizers on college campuses, which have been infested with radicalism like never before.” |
The eligibility criteria for a “Dropbox” visa interview waiver have changed for all US Embassies worldwide. Now, the applicant’s prior visa cannot have expired more than 12 months prior to the new visa application. Previously, it was 48 months. Consular officers have the authority and discretion to waive the in-person interview for the following categories as outlined in the Immigration and Nationality Act section 222(h):
To be eligible for an interview waiver, applicants must also meet certain criteria, including that they:
Consular officers may still require in-person interviews on a case-by-case basis or because of local conditions. We encourage applicants to check embassy and consulate websites for more detailed information about visa application requirements and procedures, and to learn more about the embassy or consulate’s operating status and services. This supersedes the Interview Waiver Update of December 21, 2023. |
DHS Secretary Noem vacated a decision by the previous administration to extend Haiti’s Temporary Protect Status (TPS) by 18 months. As part of this move, Haiti’s TPS will end on August 3, 2025, unless extended.
The INA requires that, with limited exceptions, all aliens 14 years of age or older who were not fingerprinted or registered when applying for a U.S. visa and who remain in the United States for 30 days or longer, must apply for registration and fingerprinting. Similarly, parents and guardians must ensure that their children below the age of 14 are registered.
Once an alien has registered and appeared for fingerprinting (unless waived), DHS will issue evidence of registration, which aliens over the age of 18 must carry and keep in their possession at all times.
It is the legal obligation of all unregistered aliens (or previously registered children who turn 14 years old) in the United States to comply with these requirements. Failure to comply will result in criminal and civil penalties, up to and including misdemeanor prosecution and the payment of fines.
Registration is not an immigration status, and registration documentation does not establish employment authorization or any other right or benefit under the INA or any other U.S. law.
Who is not registered?
Anyone who has not been issued one of the documents designated as evidence of registration under 8 CFR 264.1(b) and has not submitted one of the forms designated at 8 CFR 264.1(a) and provided fingerprints (unless waived) is not registered. Aliens who have not registered include:
On February 28, 2025, USCIS issued a Policy Memorandum regarding the issuance of Notices to Appear (NTAs) in Cases Involving Inadmissible and Deportable Aliens. Effective immediately, USCIS will no longer exempt classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement, which includes referring cases to ICE and issuance of NTAs.
This policy memo is similar to one issued in 2018 by the first Trump administration and later revoked by the Biden administration. The difference between this 2025 and 2018 memo is the exemption for employment-based petition beneficiaries.
Pursuant to Executive Order 14161, “Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats,” USCIS proposes to collect social media identifier(s) (“handles”) data on immigration forms and/or within information collection systems.
USCIS invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment upon this proposed new collection of information. The public comment period opened on March 5, 2025, and will continue for 60 days until May 5, 2025.
In remarks to reporters, President Trump said he would soon make a decision about the future of the temporary legal status the United States has made available to Ukrainians since 2022. Revoking the temporary legal status would directly affect approximately 240,000 Ukrainians in the United States. At the time of this reporting, no official announcements have been made.
According to reports, the State Department will implement an AI-enabled “Catch and Revoke” program to identify and cancel the visas of foreign nationals who appear through their social media activity to support designated terror groups. This enforcement effort would represent a significant expansion of the US Government’s monitoring of foreign national’s social media use and speech.
The government will also review reports of anti-Israel protests and demonstrations and lawsuits filed by Jewish students that reference foreign nationals engaging in antisemitic activity without consequence.
The INA requires that, with limited exceptions, all aliens 14 years of age or older who were not registered and fingerprinted (if required) when applying for a U.S. visa and who remain in the United States for 30 days or longer, must apply for registration and fingerprinting. Similarly, parents and legal guardians of aliens below the age of 14 must ensure that those aliens are registered. Within 30 days of reaching their 14th birthday, all previously registered aliens must apply for re-registration and be fingerprinted.
It is the legal obligation of all unregistered aliens (or previously registered aliens who turn 14 years old) who are in the United States for 30 days or longer to comply with these requirements. Failure to comply may result in criminal and civil penalties, up to and including misdemeanor prosecution, the imposition of fines, and incarceration.
NEW: USCIS has established a new form, G-325R, Biometric Information (Registration), and an online process by which unregistered aliens may register and comply with the law as required by the INA.
From April 9, 2025, USCIS will consideri a noncitizen’s antisemitic activity on social media and the physical harassment of Jewish individuals as grounds for denying immigration benefit requests. This will immediately affect applicants for lawful permanent resident status, foreign students and noncitizens affiliated with educational institutions linked to antisemitic activity.
The New York Times reports that migrants from Afghanistan and Cameroon who had been staying in the United States legally will lose their temporary protection from deportation. The effort could face legal challenges. Read more ›
The Ukraine Family Scheme allows applicants to join family members or extend their stay in the UK. Everyone must make a separate application, even children traveling with a family member.
To apply to the Ukraine Family Scheme, applicants must:
be applying to join or accompany their UK-based family member: a British national, someone settled in the UK, someone from the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland who has pre-settled status, or someone with refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK. The UK-based family member must be either an immediate family member; extended family member; the spouse or civil partner, unmarried partner, child, parent, or fiancé(e), or the proposed civil partner of the extended family member.
be Ukrainian, or the family member of a Ukrainian national who is applying to the scheme to join a UK-based immediate family member;
have been living in Ukraine on or immediately before 1 January 2022 (even if they have now left Ukraine).
Validity: Visa holders can stay in the UK for up to 3 years.
Fees: It is free to apply. Applicants do not need to pay the immigration health surcharge or biometric enrolment fee.
Ukrainians without familial ties to the UK can utilize the new sponsorship scheme, Homes for Ukraine. Everyone must make a separate application, even children traveling with a family member.
The scheme enables people and organizations in the UK (sponsors) to bring Ukrainians and their family members to the UK under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.
Sponsors must be either:
To apply to the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme, applicants must be Ukrainian, or the immediate family member of a Ukrainian national who has been granted permission under, or is applying to, and qualifies for, the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.
They must also:
Validity: Visa holders can stay in the UK for up to 3 years.
Fees: It is free to apply. Applicants do not need to pay the immigration health surcharge or biometric enrolment fee.
Read more information about applying to the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.
Under the Ukraine Extension Scheme, individuals can live, work and study in the UK if you’re Ukrainian or a close family member of a Ukrainian. They can apply for this scheme if one of the following is true:
Subject to the Parliamentary process, the Immigration Rules are expected to change in July 2023 to extend the eligibility for the Ukraine Extension Scheme to include those granted permission after 16 May and by 16 November 2023, with all applications to be made before 16 May 2024.
Individuals who were granted permission after 16 May 2023 can apply to the Ukraine Extension Scheme once the new rules are in force in August. However, they should wait until more information is available before submitting their application.
They should consider whether to keep their current visa or switch to the Ukraine Extension Scheme. This route does not currently lead to settlement – this means that they may not be able to count any time spent in the UK with this visa as part of an application for indefinite leave to remain in the UK in the future.
Validity: Visa holders can stay in the UK for up to 3 years.
Fees: It is free to apply. Applicants do not need to pay the immigration health surcharge or biometric enrolment fee.
Pursuant to this EO, children of nonimmigrant visa holders would not attain citizenship at birth. The EO specifically states that children of temporary visa holders, including students, nonimmigrant workers, or tourists (including from visa waiver countries,) do not attain citizenship unless the child’s biological father is a lawful permanent resident or US Citizen.
Pursuant to this EO, the State Department will no longer issue U.S. passports or Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBAs) with an X marker, only an M or F sex marker matching the customer’s biological sex at birth.
S. 5, the “Laken Riley Act,” which requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to take into custody aliens who have been charged in the United States with theft, and for other purposes.
The State Department issued a new visa restriction policy that will apply to current or former foreign government officials responsible for, or complicit in, the forced return of Uyghurs or members of other ethnic or religious groups with protection concerns to China. Certain family members of such persons may also be subject to these restrictions.
DOS will impose visa restrictions on current and former officials from the Government of Thailand responsible for, or complicit in, the forced return of 40 Uyghurs from Thailand on February 27.
The EO invokes the Alien Enemies Act related to Tren de Aragua (TdA) and proclaims:
The EO states that all Alien Enemies described in this proclamation are subject to immediate apprehension, detention, and removal, and further that they shall not be permitted residence in the United States.
DHS has issued a notice of action in the Federal Register, Termination of Parole Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans, consistent with President Trump’s Executive Order 14165, “Securing Our Borders,” issued on January 20, 2025, as of April 24, 2025.
According to the notice, CHNV Parolees without a lawful basis to remain in the United States following this termination of the CHNV parole programs must depart the United States before the parole termination date.
USCIS has made minor changes to Form I‑9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to align with statutory language, and updated the DHS Privacy Notice. The revised Form I‑9 with an edition date 01/20/25 and an expiration date 05/31/2027 is now available for download. Previous editions will remain valid until their respective expiration dates.
This Executive Order aims to stop immigrants from crossing into the United States without authorization. The actions for this EO include securing the border by building a physical barrier wall and using personnel and technology. This EO would also increase detention and resume the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), also known as Remain in Mexico, which returns migrants to their home countries while awaiting removal proceedings. It ends the use of the CBP One App and the categorical parole programs previously established by executive orders.
This Executive Order indefinitely suspends the US Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) effective January 27, 2025, and it would remain suspended until “such time as the further entry into the United States of refugees aligns with the interests of the United States.” A report will be submitted within 90 days to assess whether resuming refugee admissions is in the US interest. Further reports will be required every 90 days.
Acting DHS Secretary Benjamine Huffman rescinded the Biden administration’s guidelines for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) enforcement actions that thwart law enforcement in or near so-called “sensitive” areas, including hospitals, houses of worship, and schools.
This memorandum directs the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security to take all appropriate actions to expand the Migrant Operations Center at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay to full capacity to provide additional detention space for high-priority criminal aliens unlawfully present in the United States and to address attendant immigration enforcement needs identified by the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security.
This memorandum is issued in order to halt the border invasion, dismantle criminal cartels, and restore national sovereignty.
The Order directs Federal departments and agencies to identify all federally funded programs currently providing financial benefits to illegal aliens and take corrective action. It ensures that Federal funds to states and localities will not be used to support “sanctuary” policies or assist illegal immigration. It mandates improvements in eligibility verification to prevent benefits from going to individuals unlawfully present in the United States.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced the DHS will fully enforce the Immigration and Nationality Act, which created multiple tools to track illegal aliens and compel them to leave the country voluntarily. These tools include criminal penalties for certain aliens who willfully fail to depart the United States, fail to register with the federal government and be fingerprinted, and fail to apprise the federal government of changes to their address.
An alien’s failure to depart the U.S. is a crime that could result in a significant financial penalty. An alien’s failure to register is a crime that could result in a fine, imprisonment, or both.
President Trump discussed with reporters his plans for a new visa program he called the gold card, describing it as “somewhat like a green card, but at a higher level of sophistication.” In his comments, he said it would give “very high-level people” a new “route to citizenship” for about five million dollars.
Details about the visa program have not been shared at this time.
President Trump signed an executive order designating English as the U.S. official language. The order allows government agencies and federally funded organizations to decide if they will continue to offer documents and services in languages other than English, rescinding a Clinton-era mandate that required these entities to provide language assistance to non-English speakers.
USCIS has notified stakeholders that multiple forms have been updated and that the new edition of the forms will take effect from March 3 and March 4, 2025.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a new visa restriction policy that will apply to foreign government officials, including immigration and customs officials, airport and port authority officials, and others believed to be responsible for knowingly facilitating illegal immigration to the United States. This would include failure to enforce immigration laws or establishing and implementing policies and practices that knowingly facilitate the transit of aliens intending to illegally immigrate into the United States via the U.S. southwest border. Certain family members may also be covered by these restrictions.
DHS is relaunching the CBP Home app with a self-deportation reporting feature for individuals illegally in the country. DHS directs these individuals to use the CBP Home mobile phone application to submit their intent to depart.
On Mar. 21, 2025, the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) terminated the funding through which the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) had funded legal representation services for unaccompanied immigrant children and ordered nonprofits that had received such funding to stop their ongoing funded representations for unaccompanied children.
President Trump signed an executive order requiring voters to provide proof of US citizenship when registering to vote. The EO also directs state and local officials to verify voter identity information, requiring voters to present a passport, a Real ID, a military identification card, or another government-issued ID that indicates citizenship when registering to vote.
The State Department is taking actions to revoke all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders and prevent further issuance to prevent entry into the United States by South Sudanese passport holders. The State Department has said they will review these actions when South Sudan is in full cooperation.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) added around 6,000 predominantly Latino immigrants to a database used to track deceased Social Security recipients. The goal of the database change is that it will allow the Trump administration to locate a more significant number of undocumented foreign nationals who have Social Security numbers but have lost their legal status, including those who entered the US through the Biden administration’s parole programs.
Updated as of April 7, 2025
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