June 2026 was the busiest month in immigration litigation we have tracked — 40 developments across 25 cases
Immigration policy in 2025-2026 has been decided less by new statutes than by who won the last court order. A rule takes effect, a district court stays it, an appeals court narrows the stay, the Supreme Court removes the basis for it — and the practical answer to “does this apply to me?” changes several times a year.
That story is hard to see because of how it gets published: courts release orders one at a time, and agencies publish only their current alert. Nobody publishes the shape of it.
This page is our attempt at that shape. It is the 62 immigration court cases and federal rulemakings we track, as data — each with its case name, docket number, court, current posture, who it affects, and the date it last moved — plus the movement series: 314 dated developments across 32 months.
Where the 62 cases stand
10
active litigation
6
awaiting decision
10
decided
20
policy in effect
7
blocked by injunction
9
partially blocked
| Case | Status | Court / agency | Docket | Last moved |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prolonged immigration detention & bond hearings Genalo v. Black | Awaiting decision | U.S. Supreme Court (on certiorari to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit) | No. 25-886 | 2026-10-13 7 entries |
| Pacito v. Trump: Court Challenge to the Refugee Admissions (USRAP) Suspension Pacito v. Trump | Partially blocked | U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (on appeal from the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington) | 9th Cir. Nos. 25-1313 & 25-1939; W.D. Wash. No. 2:25-cv-00255 | 2026-09-08 7 entries |
| Tennessee HB 1704 / SB 1779 (Public Chapter 771): state crime for remaining after a final removal order Lucy v. Skrmetti | Policy in effect | U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee (Nashville Division) | Tenn. Public Chapter 771 (HB 1704 / SB 1779); Lucy v. Skrmetti, No. 3:26-cv-00998 (M.D. Tenn.) (first suit: No. 3:26-cv-00763, dismissed June 26, 2026) | 2026-08-31 12 entries |
| Court vacates USCIS asylum and benefits adjudication holds (39 countries) Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island v. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services | Decided | U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island | D.R.I. No. 1:26-cv-00132-JJM-PAS (on appeal: 1st Cir. No. 26-1703) | 2026-08-28 9 entries |
| TPS termination litigation Mullin v. Doe / Trump v. Miot; National TPS Alliance v. Noem ≈334,595 people | Policy in effect | U.S. Supreme Court; 9th Circuit; N.D. California | Nos. 25-1083 & 25-1084 (U.S.); No. 25A326 (U.S.); 3:25-cv-01766 (N.D. Cal.) | 2026-08-25 20 entries |
| USCIS Proposes Raising the N-400 Citizenship Fee to $1,330 and Ending Fee Waivers Naturalization Application Fee Adjustments (N-400 fee to $1,330; fee waivers eliminated) | Awaiting decision | U.S. Department of Homeland Security / U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (Federal Register rulemaking) | Federal Register Doc. 2026-12542; DHS Docket No. USCIS-2026-0265 (CIS No. 2834-25); RIN 1615-AD08 | 2026-08-24 2 entries |
| Bond hearings after interior ICE arrests: circuit split Rhoney v. Barbosa da Cunha; Cunha v. Freden; Buenrostro-Mendez v. Bondi; Herrera Avila v. Bondi; Hernandez Alvarez v. Warden; Santillan Quiroz v. Mullin; Rodriguez Vazquez v. Bostock | Active litigation | U.S. Courts of Appeals (2nd, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th & 11th Circuits); certiorari petition pending at the U.S. Supreme Court | U.S. No. 26-104; 2d Cir. No. 25-3141; 5th Cir. No. 25-20496; 8th Cir. No. 25-3248; 9th Cir. No. 25-6842; 10th Cir. No. 26-6019; 11th Cir. No. 25-14065 | 2026-08-21 14 entries |
| New H.R.1 (OBBBA) Immigration Fees: Asylum, Work Permit (EAD), and TPS Charges USCIS Immigration Fees Required by H.R.1 (OBBBA) — new asylum, EAD, and TPS fees | Partially blocked | U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (DHS), Federal Register notice | FR Doc. 2025-13738; 90 FR 34511 (Jul 22, 2025) | 2026-08-21 12 entries |
| Nationwide expedited-removal expansion Make the Road New York v. Mullin | Policy in effect | U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (on appeal from the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia) | D.C. Cir. No. 25-5320; D.D.C. No. 1:25-cv-00190 | 2026-08-17 6 entries |
| End of "duration of status" for F-1, J-1, and I (final — effective Sept. 15, 2026) Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for Nonimmigrant Academic Students, Exchange Visitors, and Representatives of Foreign Information Media | Decided | DHS / ICE rulemaking — not a court case | DHS Docket No. ICEB-2025-0001; RIN 1653-AA95; NPRM at 90 FR 42070 (FR Doc. 2025-16554) | 2026-08-14 6 entries |
| Civil denaturalization: efforts to revoke naturalized U.S. citizenship DOJ civil denaturalization initiative (TRAC Report 774) | Active litigation | U.S. district courts (nationwide) | 8 U.S.C. § 1451(a) (INA § 340); DOJ Civil Division enforcement-priorities memo (June 11, 2025); TRAC Report 774 | 2026-08-11 6 entries |
| In-state tuition for undocumented students U.S. challenges to state tuition-equity laws (8 U.S.C. § 1623) | Active litigation | Multiple U.S. District Courts; 5th, 6th, 8th & 10th Circuits | multiple — e.g., 5th Cir. No. 25-10898 (TX); D. Minn. 0:25-cv-02668; S.D. Ill. 3:25-cv-01691 | 2026-08-10 10 entries |
| Birthright citizenship at the Supreme Court Trump v. Barbara ≈260,000 people | Decided | U.S. Supreme Court | No. 25-365 | 2026-08-06 5 entries |
| Alien registration mandate (Form G-325R) Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (a/k/a CHIRLA v. Noem) — alien registration / Form G-325R rule | Policy in effect | U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia (Judge Trevor N. McFadden); on appeal, U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit | D.D.C. 1:25-cv-00943-TNM (stayed); D.C. Cir. 25-5152 (consolidated with 25-5233 and 25-5247) — appeals dismissed Aug. 6, 2026 | 2026-08-06 9 entries |
| Proposed rule to restrict discretionary work permits for parolees, deferred-action holders, and people on orders of supervision Clarification of Discretionary Employment Authorization for Certain Aliens (NPRM) | Awaiting decision | U.S. Department of Homeland Security / USCIS (rulemaking) | DHS Docket No. USCIS-2026-0067; RIN 1615-AC98; 91 FR 34352 (June 5, 2026); FR Doc. 2026-11285 | 2026-08-04 2 entries |
| H-2A Farmworker Wage Rule Changes (AEWR) and United Farm Workers v. DOL United Farm Workers v. U.S. Department of Labor (H-2A Adverse Effect Wage Rate methodology rule) | Policy in effect | U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California (rule issued by the U.S. Department of Labor) | No. 1:25-cv-01614 (E.D. Cal.); rule: FR Doc. 2025-19365, RIN 1205-AC24, DOL Docket No. ETA-2025-0008 | 2026-08-03 5 entries |
| Asylum work-permit (EAD) rule (proposed) Employment Authorization Reform for Asylum Applicants (proposed rule) ≈1,525,933 people | Awaiting decision | DHS / USCIS rulemaking — not a court case | FR 2026-03595; RIN 1615-AC97 | 2026-07-21 3 entries |
| Public-charge rule (final — effective Sept. 18, 2026) Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility (2026 final rule) | Decided | DHS / USCIS rulemaking — not a court case | FR 2025-20278 (NPRM) → final rule FR 2026-14539; RIN 1615-AD06 | 2026-07-16 3 entries |
| IRS–ICE Taxpayer Data Sharing: Centro de Trabajadores Unidos v. Bessent Centro de Trabajadores Unidos v. Bessent | Partially blocked | U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit | D.C. Cir. No. 25-5181 (aff'g D.D.C. No. 1:25-cv-00677, Friedrich, J.) | 2026-06-30 8 entries |
| Wassily v. Blanche: Supreme Court Case on Adjusting Status After Asylum Is Terminated Wassily v. Blanche | Awaiting decision | U.S. Supreme Court | No. 25-842 | 2026-06-29 2 entries |
| DACA work permits (Texas case) Texas v. United States (on remand to Judge Hanen) ≈580,000 people | Awaiting decision | S.D. Texas (Judge Hanen), on remand from the 5th Circuit | 1:18-cv-00068 (S.D. Tex.); 5th Cir. No. 23-40653 | 2026-06-26 4 entries |
| Asylum metering at the border Mullin v. Al Otro Lado | Decided | U.S. Supreme Court | No. 25-5 | 2026-06-25 2 entries |
| In-absentia removal orders and hearing notices Surge in in-absentia removal orders and hearing-notice problems (FY2026) | Policy in effect | EOIR immigration courts (nationwide) | Operational trend — no single docket | 2026-06-24 4 entries |
| DHS Ends the Automatic Extension of Work Permits (EADs) Removal of the Automatic Extension of Employment Authorization Documents (DHS interim final rule, RIN 1615-AD05) | Policy in effect | U.S. Department of Homeland Security / USCIS (rulemaking); challenge pending in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California | RIN 1615-AD05; FR Doc. 2025-19702 (90 FR 48799); litigation No. 8:26-cv-00060 (C.D. Cal.) | 2026-06-24 5 entries |
| Green-card holders at reentry: Blanche v. Lau Blanche v. Lau | Decided | U.S. Supreme Court | No. 25-429 | 2026-06-23 3 entries |
| Court Strikes Down ICE Immigration-Courthouse Arrest Policy Nationwide Pablo Sequen v. Albarran | Decided | U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California | N.D. Cal. No. 5:25-cv-06487 (Pitts, J.) | 2026-06-23 5 entries |
| Federal Court Strikes Down DHS's Overhauled SAVE Voter-Citizenship Database League of Women Voters v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (SAVE voter-verification overhaul) | Decided | U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | No. 1:25-cv-03501-SLS (U.S. District Court, D.D.C.; Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan) | 2026-06-22 4 entries |
| Protections for U Visa, T Visa, and VAWA Survivors (ICWC v. Noem) Immigration Center for Women and Children v. Noem | Blocked by injunction | U.S. District Court for the Central District of California (Hon. André Birotte Jr.), now on appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | C.D. Cal. No. 2:25-cv-09848-AB-AS; 9th Cir. No. 26-3961 | 2026-06-19 4 entries |
| Secure America Act: $70 billion for ICE and CBP immigration enforcement Secure America Act, S. 2 (Public Law 119-98) | Policy in effect | U.S. Congress (enacted law) | S. 2, 119th Congress; Public Law 119-98 (signed June 10, 2026) | 2026-06-10 3 entries |
| Day-one asylum suspension (Proclamation 10888) RAICES v. Noem | Partially blocked | U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit | D.C. Cir. No. 25-5243 (appeal from D.D.C. No. 1:25-cv-00306, Moss, J.) | 2026-06-08 5 entries |
| Lawsuit over detention conditions at Camp East Montana (Fort Bliss, El Paso) Akari Angye et al. v. ICE | Active litigation | U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas (El Paso Division) | No. 3:26-cv-01515 (W.D. Tex., El Paso Division) — class-certification motion filed May 30, 2026, still pending | 2026-05-30 3 entries |
| Supreme Court declines Florida's suit over commercial licenses for undocumented drivers Florida v. California (and Washington) | Decided | U.S. Supreme Court (original jurisdiction) | No. 162, Original | 2026-05-26 3 entries |
| Adjustment-of-status discretion memo (PM-602-0199) USCIS Policy Memorandum PM-602-0199 | Policy in effect | USCIS policy — no court challenge docketed | PM-602-0199 | 2026-05-22 2 entries |
| Third-country removals D.V.D. v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (third-country removals) | Active litigation | U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts (Judge Brian E. Murphy); U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit; U.S. Supreme Court (stay) | SCOTUS 24A1153; D. Mass. 1:25-cv-10676; 1st Cir. (expedited appeal) | 2026-05-13 5 entries |
| SIJS Deferred Action and Work Permit Changes A.C.R. v. Noem | Partially blocked | U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York (appeal pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit) | No. 1:25-cv-03962 (E.D.N.Y.); appeal pending in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit | 2026-05-10 5 entries |
| ICE Form I-9 Audits: What the 2026 Violation Rule Change Means for Workers ICE Form I-9 substantive-violations reclassification (Form I-9 Inspection fact-sheet update) | Policy in effect | U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (agency policy, not a court case) | ICE Form I-9 Inspection fact-sheet update (no Federal Register notice / no docket) | 2026-04-14 4 entries |
| California City detention facility conditions injunction (Gomez Ruiz v. ICE) Gomez Ruiz et al. v. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) | Blocked by injunction | U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California (transferred to the Eastern District of California); appeals pending in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | No. 3:25-cv-09757 (N.D. Cal.), transferred to E.D. Cal.; 9th Cir. appeals No. 26-1294 (CoreCivic) and No. 26-2302 (federal defendants) | 2026-04-13 5 entries |
| Immigration appeals (BIA) restructuring Amica Center v. EOIR | Partially blocked | U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia | 1:26-cv-00696 (D.D.C.); FR rules 2025-06294 & 2026-02326 | 2026-04-10 5 entries |
| Speech-based deportation of students & faculty American Association of University Professors v. Rubio | Active litigation | U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts (Judge William G. Young); on appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit | D. Mass. No. 1:25-cv-10685; 1st Cir. No. 26-1141 (appeal), No. 25-1658 (earlier mandamus petition) | 2026-04-07 4 entries |
| Medicaid Data Sharing With ICE: Court Limits on the HHS–DHS Agreement California v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services | Partially blocked | U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California | 3:25-cv-05536-VC (N.D. Cal.) | 2026-03-26 5 entries |
| New Jersey Codifies Its Immigrant Trust Laws Limiting Local Police Cooperation with ICE New Jersey Immigrant Trust package (A4071/S3521 Immigrant Trust Act; A4070/S3522 Privacy Protection Act; S3114/S3216 law-enforcement identification act) | Policy in effect | New Jersey State Legislature (enacted state law) | N.J. A4071/S3521 (P.L.2026, c.5); A4070/S3522 (P.L.2026, c.4); SCS S3114/S3216 (P.L.2026, c.3) | 2026-03-25 4 entries |
| SEVIS terminations & student-visa revocations Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration v. Bondi ≈4,700 people | Active litigation | U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts (Judge Patti B. Saris) | 1:25-cv-11109-PBS | 2026-03-20 4 entries |
| Immigrant eligibility for public benefits (PRWORA reinterpretation) State of New York v. U.S. Department of Justice | Partially blocked | U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island | 1:25-cv-00345 (D.R.I.) | 2026-03-20 5 entries |
| How appeals courts review asylum denials: the substantial-evidence standard Urias-Orellana v. Bondi | Decided | U.S. Supreme Court | No. 24-777 | 2026-03-04 4 entries |
| California school and family immigrant-protection laws (AB 49, SB 98, AB 419, AB 495) California AB 49, SB 98, AB 419 & AB 495 (2025 school and family immigrant-protection laws) | Policy in effect | California State Legislature (enacted; signed by the Governor) — not litigation | AB 49 (Ch. 122); SB 98 (Ch. 124); AB 419 (Ch. 663); AB 495 (Ch. 664), Stats. 2025 | 2026-03-01 4 entries |
| ICE Ankle Monitors and ISAP Check-In Rules (Alternatives to Detention) ICE June 9, 2025 memo expanding GPS ankle monitors in the Alternatives to Detention (ISAP) program | Policy in effect | U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations — agency policy | No docket — internal ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations policy memo dated June 9, 2025 (agency policy, not court litigation) | 2026-03 5 entries |
| Federal challenge to New York's Green Light Law (immigrant driver's licenses and DMV data privacy) United States v. State of New York | Active litigation | U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York (on appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit) | N.D.N.Y. No. 1:25-cv-00205 (on appeal: 2nd Cir. No. 26-387) | 2026-02-20 4 entries |
| Roving Immigration Stops and Racial Profiling: Vasquez Perdomo v. Noem Noem v. Vasquez Perdomo | Active litigation | U.S. Supreme Court (emergency stay); U.S. District Court for the Central District of California | No. 25A169 (U.S.); No. 2:25-cv-05605 (C.D. Cal.); No. 25-4312 (9th Cir.) | 2026-02-19 5 entries |
| Immigration Enforcement at Churches and Other "Sensitive Locations" New England Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security | Blocked by injunction | U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts (Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV) | No. 4:25-cv-40102 (D. Mass.) | 2026-02-13 4 entries |
| Alien Enemies Act removals Alien Enemies Act removals — J.G.G. v. Trump / A.A.R.P. v. Trump / W.M.M. v. Trump | Active litigation | U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia (Chief Judge James Boasberg); U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (en banc); U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (en banc); U.S. Supreme Court | J.G.G. — 1:25-cv-00766 (D.D.C.); A.A.R.P./W.M.M. — No. 24A1007 (U.S. Supreme Court) / No. 25-10534 (5th Cir.) / 1:25-cv-59 (N.D. Tex.); Trump v. J.G.G. — No. 24A931 (U.S. Supreme Court) | 2026-02-12 5 entries |
| USCIS Collects Social Media Usernames on Nine Immigration Forms USCIS Collection of Social Media Identifiers on Immigration Forms | Policy in effect | U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (DHS) — Paperwork Reduction Act information collection | FR Doc. 2025-03492 (60-day notice) and FR Doc. 2025-17816 (30-day notice); DHS Docket USCIS-2025-0003; OMB Control No. 1615-NEW (approved through Feb. 28, 2027) | 2026-02-11 3 entries |
| Flores Settlement: limits on detaining migrant children Flores v. Bondi (Flores Settlement Agreement) | Blocked by injunction | U.S. District Court for the Central District of California (Judge Dolly M. Gee); on appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | C.D. Cal. No. 2:85-cv-04544-DMG (AGRx) (Judge Dolly M. Gee); denial of the motion to terminate on appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, No. 25-6308 | 2026-01-28 5 entries |
| CHNV humanitarian parole termination Svitlana Doe v. Noem (CHNV / humanitarian parole termination) ≈500,000 people | Partially blocked | U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts (Judge Indira Talwani); U.S. Supreme Court (emergency stay, No. 24A1079); U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit | 1:25-cv-10495 (D. Mass.); SCOTUS application 24A1079 (Noem v. Doe) | 2026-01-24 4 entries |
| Texas SB 8: Mandatory Sheriff–ICE 287(g) Jail Agreements Texas Senate Bill 8 (mandatory sheriff–ICE 287(g) agreements) | Policy in effect | Texas Legislature (89th Legislature, Regular Session); signed by Gov. Greg Abbott | Tex. S.B. 8, 89th Leg., R.S. (2025) | 2026-01-01 4 entries |
| Sanctuary-jurisdiction funding conditions City and County of San Francisco v. Trump | Blocked by injunction | U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California (Judge William H. Orrick); on appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | N.D. Cal. No. 3:25-cv-01350 (Judge William H. Orrick); preliminary injunction on appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | 2025-12-05 5 entries |
| USCIS Good Moral Character Standard and Revived Neighborhood Investigations for Naturalization (PM-602-0188 / PM-602-0189) USCIS good moral character reframe and revived neighborhood investigations for naturalization (PM-602-0188 / PM-602-0189) | Policy in effect | U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (policy memoranda) | USCIS PM-602-0189 (INA 335(a)) + companion good-moral-character memo PM-602-0188 (INA 101(f)), August 2025 | 2025-11 5 entries |
| USCIS Ends Paper Checks and Money Orders: Electronic Fee Payment Required (Executive Order 14247) USCIS Transition to Electronic Payments (Executive Order 14247) | Policy in effect | U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of Homeland Security — agency policy, not court litigation | USCIS Policy Alert, Transition to Electronic Payments (Aug. 29, 2025); Exec. Order 14247 | 2025-10-28 3 entries |
| 2025 USCIS Naturalization Civics Test: 128-Question Bank, 20 Asked, 12 to Pass USCIS 2025 Naturalization Civics Test (128-question bank) | Policy in effect | U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) | USCIS Policy Manual Vol. 12 update / Policy Alert (Oct. 20, 2025); Federal Register Notice of Implementation 90 FR 45047 (Doc. 2025-18050, Sept. 18, 2025); implements Executive Order 14161 | 2025-10-20 3 entries |
| Federal Funding for Unaccompanied Children's Legal Representation (CLSEPA v. HHS) Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto (CLSEPA) v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services | Blocked by injunction | U.S. District Court, Northern District of California; U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit | N.D. Cal. No. 3:25-cv-02847; 9th Cir. Nos. 25-2358 & 25-2808 | 2025-10-10 5 entries |
| Florida's SB 4-C 'Illegal Entry' Crime: Blocked Statewide Florida Immigrant Coalition v. Uthmeier | Blocked by injunction | U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (preliminary injunction from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida) | 11th Cir. No. 25-11469; S.D. Fla. No. 1:25-cv-21524; U.S. Supreme Court application No. 24A1269 | 2025-10-09 5 entries |
| USCIS Tightens the Form N-648 Medical Disability Exception to the Naturalization English and Civics Test USCIS N-648 Medical Disability Exception Tightening (Naturalization English/Civics Waiver) | Policy in effect | U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) — agency policy | USCIS Policy Alert, effective June 13, 2025 (Policy Manual Vol. 12, Pt. E, Ch. 3) | 2025-06-13 2 entries |
| USCIS Notice to Appear policy: when a denied application can lead to removal proceedings Issuance of Notices to Appear (NTAs) in Cases Involving Inadmissible and Deportable Aliens (USCIS PM-602-0187) | Policy in effect | U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (agency policy) | USCIS Policy Memorandum PM-602-0187 (Feb. 28, 2025) | 2025-06-12 4 entries |
62 cases as of 2026-09-01. Each row links to our case page with the full timeline and primary sources. "Status" is the case's posture at last check — not a prediction, and not legal advice about your own situation.
The movement series — what nobody else publishes
Each entry below is one dated development on a case timeline: a court order, a Federal Register document, or an agency alert. We record them as a side effect of keeping each case page current, which is what makes the monthly count computable at all.
| Month | Developments | Cases moving | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-01 | 9 | 9 | |
| 2025-02 | 6 | 5 | |
| 2025-03 | 13 | 11 | |
| 2025-04 | 13 | 10 | |
| 2025-05 | 7 | 6 | |
| 2025-06 | 12 | 11 | |
| 2025-07 | 13 | 11 | |
| 2025-08 | 14 | 13 | |
| 2025-09 | 12 | 11 | |
| 2025-10 | 9 | 9 | |
| 2025-11 | 9 | 9 | |
| 2025-12 | 15 | 12 | |
| 2026-01 | 10 | 10 | |
| 2026-02 | 17 | 15 | |
| 2026-03 | 18 | 15 | |
| 2026-04 | 12 | 11 | |
| 2026-05 | 15 | 11 | |
| 2026-06 | 40 | 25 | |
| 2026-07 | 27 | 13 | |
| 2026-08 | 31 | 15 |
314 dated developments across 32 months (1997-01-28 to 2026-08-31); charted from January 2025. Busiest month: 2026-06 with 40 developments across 25 cases. A "development" is one dated entry on a case timeline — a court order, a Federal Register document, or an agency alert.
What the shape shows. Activity roughly doubled between early 2025 and 2026: the months of 2025 ran 6-15 developments, while February and March 2026 ran 17 and 18. June 2026 stands alone at 40 developments across 25 cases.
The reason is structural, and it repeats every year: the Supreme Court’s term ends in late June. In eight days the Court decided four of the cases we track — green-card holders’ reentry (June 23), asylum metering and TPS terminations (both June 25), and birthright citizenship (June 30) — and granted certiorari in two more. In the same month Congress passed and the President signed the Secure America Act (S. 2, Public Law 119-98) between June 5 and June 10, and district courts vacated three separate policies.
That is the practical value of counting: if you are waiting on an immigration case, late June is when the answer is most likely to arrive — not because any one case is scheduled then, but because the Court’s calendar bunches its biggest decisions there. You cannot see that pattern by reading any single case.
How to read a status
- Policy in effect — the challenged rule or action is currently operating.
- Blocked by injunction — a court order is stopping it, in whole.
- Partially blocked — some parts are stopped and others are operating. This is the most common trap: a headline saying a policy was “blocked” often means one provision of it was.
- Active litigation — filed and moving, with no order yet that changes what is operating.
- Awaiting decision — argued or fully briefed, waiting on the court or the agency.
- Decided — a final ruling has issued. That does not always mean the dispute is over; follow-on litigation is common.
⚠️ A status is the posture at last check, not a prediction, and not a statement about you. Court orders differ in who they bind — some are nationwide, some cover only the named plaintiffs or a certified class, some cover only one district. Whether a given order reaches your situation is a legal question. Get free legal help by state or find an immigration attorney.
Method
Every case here is maintained from the primary record — the court’s order or opinion, the Federal Register document, and the agency’s own alert page — never from news coverage. Each row carries the docket number and court so any line can be checked at the source. We re-check open cases on their dated milestones and record what changed with the date it changed.
Six of the 62 cases carry a published population estimate; those total 3,205,228 people. The rest have no reliable public figure, so we leave it blank rather than estimate. Counts describe the cases we track, not the universe of immigration litigation.
Download the data: litigation_tracker.json · litigation_tracker.csv — case name, docket, court, status, who it affects, dated-development count, first and latest movement, and the monthly movement series. Free to reuse with attribution.
See also: all immigration cases we track · TPS work-permit status by country · recent changes