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

Visa Revocation Basics

May 29, 2020

The basic sources and processes of the Department of State's revocation of visas it has previously issued.

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

May 27, 2020

News outlets report that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is facing a budget shortfall that may result in furloughs of USCIS staff, which in turn would affect the agency's ability to timely adjudicate benefit requests. The following articles illustrate the issue. CBS News. Thousands

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, 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 visa is issued, that

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

April 2, 2020

Updates: On March 14, 2020, USCIS placed a Coronavirus alert on its public charge page, that begins: "USCIS encourages all those, including aliens, with symptoms that resemble Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) (fever, cough, shortness of breath) to seek necessary medical treatment or preventive

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