On December 5, 2025 the U.S. Supreme Court granted certiorari in the Barabara v. Trump case, a class action lawsuit that challenges President Trump's Executive Order 14160 of January 20, 2025, which seeks to redefine U.S. birthright citizenship by excluding children born in the United States to mothers who are either unlawfully present or legally present but on temporary status (such as tourist or student visas), unless the father is either a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.

A December 2, 2025 USCIS Policy Memorandum communicated that USCIS has placed "a hold... pending a comprehensive review... on pending benefit requests" submitted by applicants whose citizenship or country of birth are one of the 19 countries identified in Presidential Proclamation 10949 of June 4, 2025.

On November 27, 2025 USCIS added consideration of "relevant country-specific facts and circumstances" such as those specified in the travel ban proclamation covering 19 countries, to the list of discretionary factors that adjudicators take into account in their determinations of eligibility for "discretionary" benefits like applications to extend or change nonimmigrant status, employment authorization, and others.

A reminder that the annual SEVIS verification period for principal designated school officials (PDSOs), designated school officials (DSOs), responsible officers (ROs) and alternate responsible officers (AROs) begins on December 2, 2025. All SEVP certified schools and DOS designated exchange visitor program sponsors must complete the annual verification process by March 2, 2026. The verification is required by the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA).

Read a NAFSA transcription of a November 20, 2025 Department of State (DOS) email reminding J Exchange Visitor Program sponsors of regulatory monitoring and documenting requirements. The NAFSA transcription adds hyperlinks to the regulations cited in the email.

DHS is proposing revisions to Forms I-17 and I-20 that would require schools to report more detailed information on ownership, programs of study, costs, and designated school officials, and to collect new data on students’ guardians, graduation dates, funding sources, instructional modes, and employment or training activities. DHS accepted comments on the planned changes until November 3, 2025 under a first notice, and has reopened the comment period for 30 days under a second notice. Comments under the second notice must be received by DHS by December 26, 2025. If you already submitted a comment on the first notice, there is no need to resubmit your comments on the second notice unless you have substantive additions to what you submitted on the first notice.

On November 18, 2025, the International Student Resource Center (ISRC) was officially launched by the Talent Mobility Fund, a program of Renaissance Philanthropy, with support from Coefficient Giving, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the Dana Foundation, the Lasker Foundation, and additional individual funders. Long-time NAFSA member Robin Catmur-Smith is the ISRC's Managing Director. NAFSA's executive director and CEO, Dr. Fanta Aw, sits on the ISRC's Advisory Council. An introductory webinar on the ISRC will be held on December 4, 2025.

On November 3, 2025 USCIS published a proposed rule that seeks to broadly require submission of biometrics by "any individual" filing or "associated with" an immigration benefit request. Public comments are due by January 2, 2026.

On November 14, 2025 SEVP sent a broadcast message to schools to remind them of SEVP’s authority to conduct out-of-cycle on-site visits with or without notice, and the consequences of failing to comply with an out-of-cycle review.

SEVP has "created a new Fraud Hub on Study in the States with resources to train school officials on common fraud indicators and best practices for preventing, detecting and reporting fraud."