On December 12, 2025 USCIS announced that it has updated is policy on photographs used in connection with immigration benefit requests, by no longer accepting self-submitted photos and limiting the circumstances in which even USCIS-taken photos may be reused in benefit requests.

On December 12, 2025 a group of 20 states filed suit in Massachusetts challenging implementation of Trump's $100K H-1B fee proclamation.

On December 3, 2025, DOS announced that it will expand enhanced social media vetting to H-1B and H-4 nonimmigrants effective December 15, 2025, instructing applicants to "adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles to 'public.' This may also translate into longer H-1B appointment wait and visa processing times, appointment cancellations, postponements, or lack of appointment availability, and other disruptions depending on consular resources and visa application volume.

On December 5, 2025 USCIS "announced the establishment of a specialized unit to strengthen the ability of America’s immigration system to screen out terrorists, criminal aliens, and other foreign nationals who pose potential threats to public safety or who have committed fraud or other crimes. Once fully operationalized, the USCIS Vetting Center, headquartered in Atlanta, will centralize the enhanced vetting of aliens and allow the agency to respond more nimbly to changes in a shifting threat landscape."

Two recent changes impact the interim work authorization employment authorization documents (EADs) that adjustment of status (adjustment) applicants are eligible for. First, effective October 30, 2025 a USCIS interim final rule ended the USCIS practice of automatically extending the validity of EADs for adjustment applicants who apply to renew their adjustment-based EAD. Second, starting December 5, 2025 adjustment of status EADs will be issued for a maximum period of 18 months, rather than for a maximum of five years.

On December 4, 2025 Reuters reported that Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said that the Trump administration was planning to expand the number of countries covered by the travel ban to "over 30" countries. The names of the potential additional countries are not reported. Currently 19 countries are covered, 12 subject to a total ban and 7 subject to a partial ban under Presidential Proclamation 10949 of June 4, 2025.

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).