Latest Updates
- USCIS Proposal on Weighted Selection of H-1B Cap-Subject Registrants and Petitioners. On July 17, 2025 the Department of Homeland Security-US Citizenship and Immigration Services (DHS/USCIS) submitted for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) review a proposed rule titled "Weighted Selection Process for Registrants and Petitioners Seeking To File Cap-Subject H-1B Petitions." We don’t know how similar the forthcoming proposed rule will be to a final rule published at the very end of the first Trump administration that was subsequently withdrawn by the Biden administration after it had been vacated by a Federal district court. That rule would have replaced the current random selection process for H-1B cap-subject registrations with a system that gave preference to higher wage earners. See NAFSA's page for background.
- NAFSA Lists Countries Impacted by Recent Visa Reciprocity Reductions. July 15, 2025. In early July 2025 the Department of State revised the visa reciprocity schedules of numerous countries to reduce the validity of visas it issues going forward to 3 months and only a single entry. NAFSA checked the DOS visa reciprocity tables in the B, F, H, J, M, and O visa categories and lists these countries on a new NAFSA page.
- Budget Law Imposes New Immigration Fees. July 4, 2025. H.R.1, the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" signed into law on July 4, 2025, imposes several new immigration fees, including a "visa integrity fee," a new Form I-94 application fee, an EVUS fee, a new TPS fee, and other fees. On July 22, 2025 USCIS will publish a Federal Register notice to implement collection of certain (but not all) of the HR-1 budget law's new immigration fees, effective as of the July 22 publication in the Federal Register. The notice clarifies, though, that the new Visa Integrity and Form I-94 fees will not be collected under the July 22, 2025 notice but rather in separate future Federal Register notices. See NAFSA's page.
- DHS Sends Proposed Rule to OMB on Elimination of Duration of Status. June 27, 2025. On the afternoon of June 27, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security-US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (DHS/ICE) submitted for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) review a proposed rule to end "duration of status" (D/S). The "good" news is that it was submitted as a proposed rule, rather than interim final or final rule. We don’t know how similar this will be to the 2020 Trump 1.0 proposed rule of the same title that had been withdrawn under the Biden administration, but it is likely to share many similarities. See NAFSA's page that tracks the status of the new proposal and for background and some resources from the 2020 proposed rule.
- DOS Issues F, M, J Visa Applicant Social Media Vetting Cable, Authorizes Resumption of Visa Appointment Scheduling. June 18, 2025. The Department of State (DOS) announced that it finally issued the expected "new guidance" on social media vetting, and that consulates will resume scheduling F, M, and J nonimmigrant visa appointments. Media outlets began reporting that they had obtained a copy of the cable sent to consular offices containing the anticipated directives on how consular officers should screen the social media and online presence of applicants applying for F, M, and J visas, and factors the consulates should consider as they resume scheduling student visa interviews. See NAFSA's updated page.
- Presidential Proclamation Orders Travel Bans on 19 Countries. June 4, 2025. Presidential Proclamation of June 4, 2025: Restricting The Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats establishes a "full" travel ban on 12 countries and a "partial" travel ban on 7 countries, effective 12:01 am eastern daylight time on June 9, 2025. See NAFSA's page.
Key Executive and Regulatory Actions
Government Funding, Staffing, and Operations
The president's draft fiscal 2026 "skinny" budget proposes a 93 percent reduction in funding for State Department Educational and Cultural Exchanges, effectively dismantling the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and its programs. Urge Congress to defend and fund federal international education and exchange programs.
Antisemitism Related
An April 9 DHS news release says that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services "will consider social media content that indicates an alien endorsing, espousing, promoting, or supporting antisemitic terrorism, antisemitic terrorist organizations, or other antisemitic activity as a negative factor in any USCIS discretionary analysis when adjudicating immigration benefit requests. This guidance is effective immediately."
Vetting and Enforcement
DHS posted a copy of a Notice of Intent to Withdraw (NOIW) that it sent to Harvard, dated May 28, 2025 and signed by Todd Lyons, Acting Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Under DHS regulations the issuance of a NOIW begins formal proceedings that could lead to a withdrawal on notice of Harvard's SEVIS certification.
NAFSA Statements and Commentary
NAFSA Responds to DHS Threats Against Harvard, OPT
"Revoking an institution’s ability to enroll international students and threatening to dismantle OPT are ill-conceived attacks on high-functioning systems and programs," said Fanta Aw, NAFSA CEO. "International students are not bargaining chips—they are scholars, researchers, and contributors to our communities whose presence strengthens U.S. higher education and society. We turn global talent away at our own expense."
NAFSA Responds to Pause of International Student Visa Interviews
NAFSA executive director and CEO, Fanta Aw, calls pause of international student visa Interviews misguided and self-defeating and urges the administration to reverse this course and uphold a policy environment that reflects our national interest.
NAFSA Urges Restoration of Student Visa Appointments
On May 30, NAFSA joined a letter led by the American Council on Education to the Department of State Secretary Marco Rubio expressing deep concern about the pause in student visa interviews and plans to revoke the visas for some Chinese students.
Related Resources
2025 Policy Digest
A chronological compilation of U.S. government policy and regulatory developments and related advocacy activities, updated on a monthly basis.
Connecting Our World
Connecting Our World is NAFSA's weekly newsletter that distills the top policy and regulatory developments affecting international education and identifies how members of the field can use their voice to take action in simple but meaningful ways.
Helpful Resources
Helpful resources from NAFSA and others on initiatives under the Second Trump Administration