U.S. Immigration Systems, Data, Status, and Concepts

Visa Revocation Basics

May 29, 2020

The basic sources and processes of U.S. nonimmigrant visa revocation.

Under the Congressional Review Act (CRA), Congress can review and overturn certain regulations promulgated by an executive agency, such as the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Labor, the Department of State, etc. Congress can use the CRA only to invalidate an agency final rule in

Executive Order 13891 on Promoting the Rule of Law Through Improved Agency Guidance Documents

June 3, 2020

On October 9, 2019, the president issued Executive Order 13891, titled Promoting the Rule of Law Through Improved Agency Guidance Documents, "to ensure that Americans are subject to only those binding rules imposed through duly enacted statutes or through regulations lawfully promulgated under them

USCIS Funding Challenges During COVID-19 Pandemic

June 29, 2020

On June 25, 2020, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a statement describing "the agency’s fiscal outlook due to the COVID-19 pandemic." USCIS said that unless Congress acts on the agency's request for $1.2 billion in emergency funding before August 3, 2020, it "will need to

USCIS Policy Manual

The USCIS Policy Manual is the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service's (USCIS) "centralized online repository for USCIS’ immigration policies," that will ultimately replace other USCIS policy repositories. Access the USCIS Policy Manual Update (May 22, 2020). USCIS has removed all Adjudicator's

Presidential Proclamation 9945

November 4, 2019

Under Presidential Proclamation 9945 of October 4, 2019, Suspension of Entry of Immigrants Who Will Financially Burden the United States Healthcare System (PP 9945), effective November 3, 2019 applicants for immigrant visas must show to the satisfaction of a consular officer, before an immigrant

Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2019

Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2019 CRS Summary of version of H.R. 1044 passed by the House (07/10/2019): This bill increases the per-country cap on family-based immigrant visas from 7% of the total number of such visas available that year to 15%, and eliminates the 7% cap for

Final Rules on Public Charge Determinations

August 4, 2020

Updates: On July 29, 2020, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York issued two nationwide preliminary injunctions that block implementation and enforcement of the current USCIS and DOS public charge rules and policies during the declared national emergency in response to the

DHS Expands Expedited Removal Policy

Update: On September 27, 2019, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia granted a nationwide preliminary injunction that blocks DHS from implementing the expanded expedited removal policy that DHS sought to implement in its July 23, 2019 policy notice. Read the Court's

USCIS Consolidates Guidance on How It Provides Services to the Public

In a May 10, 2019 Policy Alert, USCIS announced that it is consolidating and updating its policy guidance on how USCIS provides services to the public by revising the USCIS Policy Manual at Volume 1: General Policies and Procedures, Part A, Public Services [1 USCIS-PM A]. According to USCIS, the