Recent immigration policy changes (Federal Register)

A hand-curated archive of significant immigration rules and proposed rules published in the U.S. Federal Register since 2025 — 34 detail pages, drawn from the 48 Rules and Proposed Rules that carry the Federal Register’s immigration topic tag for that period (count checked 2026-09-10). The auto-refreshed list below always shows the newest, curated or not.

Federal Register publications under ‘Immigration’ have binding legal effect on USCIS, ICE, EOIR, and immigration courts. Final Rules become law on their effective date; Proposed Rules are open for public comment.

Latest updates (auto-refreshed)

The list below pulls the most recent immigration rules and notices directly from the Federal Register and refreshes automatically — so this page reflects the newest USCIS, ICE, and EOIR actions without manual updating.

Latest immigration rules & notices Automatically updated: 2026-10-23 · official source
  • Notice 2026-10-20 · Homeland Security Department
    Notice of Order Regarding Exclusion and Removal of DeepSeek Products From Federal Civilian Executive Branch Information Technology Systems and Procurements

    The Department of Homeland Security is publishing notice of the Secretary of Homeland Security's issuance of an order (1) excluding information technology products and services developed by Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence Co., Ltd (DeepSeek), to include affiliated entities as defined in applicable...

  • Rule 2026-10-14 · Executive Office for Immigration Review
    Imposition and Collection of Civil Penalties for Certain Immigration-Related Violations

    On June 27, 2025, the Departments issued an interim final rule ("IFR") to streamline assessment of civil penalties under the Immigration and Nationality Act ("INA") for aliens who fail to depart during a voluntary departure period, willfully fail or refuse to depart after a final removal order and certain other...

  • Rule 2026-10-14 · Homeland Security Department
    Removing 30-Day Refugee Termination Notice

    This interim final rule (IFR) amends Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulations to expedite termination of refugee status when DHS determines an alien was not a refugee within the meaning of section 101(a)(42) of the Immigration and Nationality Act at the time of admission to the United States. The response...

  • Rule 2026-10-14 · Homeland Security Department
    Removal of Automatic Extensions for Certain Employment Authorization Documents

    On October 30, 2025, DHS published an interim final rule (IFR) that amended DHS regulations to end the practice of automatically extending the validity of employment authorization documents (Forms I- 766 or EADs) for aliens who have timely filed an application to renew their EAD in certain employment authorization...

  • Proposed Rule 2026-10-14 · Homeland Security Department
    Removing Deference to Prior USCIS Determinations of Eligibility

    The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), proposes to remove 8 CFR 214.1(c)(5), which generally provides that USCIS gives deference to a prior approval involving the same facts when adjudicating a request to extend a petition for an alien's employment or...

  • Proposed Rule 2026-10-08 · Homeland Security Department
    Optional Practical Training Fees

    This rule proposes new fees for Optional Practical Training (OPT) to combat fraud, strengthen the integrity of the immigration system, and protect U.S. workers. The following fees would apply for each F-1 nonimmigrant student to engage in OPT through a Student and Exchange Visitor Program-certified institution:...

  • Notice 2026-10-02 · Homeland Security Department
    Determination Pursuant to Section 102 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, as Amended

    The Secretary of Homeland Security has determined, pursuant to law, that it is necessary to waive certain laws, regulations, and other legal requirements in order to ensure the expeditious construction of barriers and roads in the vicinity of the international land border in the state of New Mexico.

  • Notice 2026-10-01 · Homeland Security Department
    Fiscal Year 2027 Inflation Adjustment to H.R. 1 Immigration Fees

    U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), a component of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), is announcing inflationary adjustments to immigration-related fees administered by USCIS under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2027. H.R. 1 mandates that USCIS adjust the H.R. 1...

  • Notice 2026-10-01 · U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
    Certain DHS Immigration-Related Fees Required by HR-1: Fiscal Year 2027 Adjustments for Inflation

    The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is announcing Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 inflationary adjustments for two of the immigration enforcement-related fees established by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (HR-1). HR-1 requires that DHS annually adjust certain immigration enforcement-related fees for inflation. The...

  • Notice 2026-10-01 · Homeland Security Department
    Certain DHS Immigration-Related Fees Required by HR-1: Fiscal Year 2027 Adjustments for Inflation

    The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is announcing Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 inflation adjustments to certain immigration-related fees required by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (HR-1). HR-1 requires that DHS annually adjust certain immigration-related fees for inflation. This notice sets the inflation-adjusted FY...

  • Rule 2026-09-30 · Homeland Security Department
    U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment-Based Immigrant Visa, Fifth Preference (EB-5) Fee Rule

    This final rule adjusts the Employment-Based Immigration, Fifth Preference (EB-5) immigration benefit request fees charged by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). It also codifies provisions of the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022, implements new statutory requirements, and addresses public...

  • Notice 2026-09-29 · Executive Office for Immigration Review
    Inflation Adjustment for EOIR OBBBA Fees for Certain DHS Forms; Fiscal Year 2027

    The Department of Justice ("Department") is providing notice of statutorily required inflation adjustments to immigration-related fees for certain Department of Homeland Security ("DHS") forms filed with the Executive Office for Immigration Review ("EOIR") under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act for Fiscal Year ("FY")...

  • Notice 2026-09-28 · U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
    Extension, Without Change, of a Currently Approved Collection: Biographic Information (Registration)

    The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment upon this proposed extension of a currently approved collection of information. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the information...

  • Rule 2026-09-23 · State Department
    International Traffic in Arms Regulations: Clarifying Policies of Denial, Updating the Major Non-NATO Ally List, and Minor Corrections; Corrections

    On September 18, 2026, the Department of State revised the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) to clarify certain policy-of-denial provisions, update country policies for Ethiopia and Somalia, add Saudi Arabia and Peru to the list of major non-NATO allies, and make other miscellaneous corrections. That...

  • Notice 2026-09-21 · Homeland Security Department
    Finding of Mass Influx of Aliens
  • Rule 2026-09-16 · Homeland Security Department
    Registration of Lawful Permanent Residence for Children Born to Foreign Government Employees in the United States; Correction

    This document corrects the interim final rule (IFR) that published in the Federal Register on September 9, 2026. The IFR amends its regulations to permit children born in the United States to "foreign government employees" who are not U.S. citizens to register for permanent residence. DHS also made corresponding...

  • Proposed Rule 2026-09-11 · Homeland Security Department
    Eliminating the Discretionary 60-Day Grace Period

    The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposes to remove regulations at 8 CFR 214.1(l)(2) to restore its previous and long- standing policy of not providing aliens in certain nonimmigrant classifications (and their dependents) with an up to 60-day grace period upon cessation of employment prior to the...

  • Correction 2026-09-10 · Homeland Security Department
    Fee for Certain H-1B Petitions
  • Rule 2026-09-09 · Homeland Security Department
    Registration of Lawful Permanent Residence for Children Born to Foreign Government Employees in the United States

    Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is amending its regulations to permit children born in the United States to "foreign government employees" who are not U.S. citizens to register for permanent residence. DHS is also making corresponding changes to Form I-485,...

  • Correction 2026-08-31 · Homeland Security Department
    Affirmative Asylum Referrals Without Interview
  • Proposed Rule 2026-08-25 · Homeland Security Department
    Fee for Certain H-1B Petitions

    The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposes to establish a $103,265 fee, payable at the time of filing, for all H-1B cap-subject petitions, including those eligible for the advanced degree exemption, which would be imposed in addition to all other applicable fees or payments. This fee would serve as a...

  • Rule 2026-08-21 · Executive Office for Immigration Review
    Inflation Adjustment for EOIR OBBBA Fees; Fiscal Year 2027

    The Department of Justice ("Department") is making inflationary adjustments to immigration-related fees for filings with the Executive Office for Immigration Review ("EOIR") as required by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act for Fiscal Year ("FY") 2027.

  • Proposed Rule 2026-08-21 · Homeland Security Department
    Genealogy Program Regulations To Clarify the Impact of Federal Records Requirements

    The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposes to amend its regulation governing genealogy program related records requests to revise its genealogy program regulations to clarify the impact of statutory and regulatory federal records requirements. This is necessary for individuals who request immigration...

  • Rule 2026-08-11 · Homeland Security Department
    Regulatory Changes Required by the Energy Security and Lightering Independence Act of 2022

    The Energy Security and Lightering Independence Act of 2022 amended the nonimmigrant classifications for aliens in transit (C) and for aliens serving as crewmen (D) to include individuals who perform ship-to-ship liquid cargo transfer operations to or from another vessel engaged in foreign trade (lightering). The...

  • Rule 2026-08-11 · Homeland Security Department
    Mandatory Electronic Filing (e-Filing)

    This interim final rule (IFR) amends U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulations to provide: USCIS may require mandatory electronic filing (e-filing) of certain benefit requests; the process USCIS will follow to require a benefit request to be e-filed; and how a waiver of the e-filing requirement for...

Curated archive

A hand-curated archive of the most significant immigration rules and proposed rules since 2025, each with its own detail page.

Final Rules

Proposed Rules

Recent fee, deadline, and contact context (2025-2026)

H.R.1 / OBBBA (One Big Beautiful Bill / Public Law 119-21), signed July 4, 2025, substantially changed USCIS fees; USCIS began collecting most of them for filings postmarked on or after July 22, 2025 (FR 2025-13738), and its interim final rule codifying them took effect May 29, 2026 (FR 2026-08333). Asylum applications (Form I-589) now require a $100 filing fee and a $105 Annual Asylum Fee (AAF; $100 base, inflation-adjusted for FY2027, from October 16, 2026; $102 in FY2026) — both non-waivable per 8 U.S.C. 1802 and 1808. Other major fee changes: the separate $24 Form I-94 fee applies to Form I-102 (replacement I-94) from May 29, 2026, the interim final rule’s effective date; in-absentia removal-order arrest fee now $5,300 from October 16, 2026 (the $5,000 base plus inflation adjustments; $5,130 in fiscal year 2026) — a proposed rule (Federal Register 2026-10082, May 2026) would raise it to $18,000 but is not yet in effect; and initial TPS registration (Form I-821) raised from the old $50 cap to $500, now $520 for filings postmarked on or after October 16, 2026 ($510 from January 1, 2026), non-waivable, plus $30 biometrics — H.R.1 amended INA § 244(c)(1)(B). Re-registration still has no I-821 fee, and TPS EAD validity is capped at 1 year.

Final Rules typically include a 30-day or 60-day delayed effective date from Federal Register publication. Proposed Rules receive a 60-day public comment period before potential finalization. Submit comments at regulations.gov referencing the rule’s docket number; comments become part of the rulemaking administrative record. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), USCIS, ICE, and CBP each have their own Federal Register agency tag — search federalregister.gov for “Immigration” topic OR the specific agency.

Verify all USCIS form fees at the official Fee Schedule before filing: uscis.gov/g-1055 (Form G-1055). USCIS Contact Center: 1-800-375-5283 (TTY 1-800-767-1833) Monday-Friday 8:00am-8:00pm Eastern Time. ICE Detainee Locator System: locator.ice.gov/odls. EOIR immigration court hearings information: 1-800-898-7180 (case status) or justice.gov/eoir. The Department of State’s Visa Bulletin priority dates are published monthly around the 15th for the following month.