Immigration news and expert analysis

A Pending Asylum Case Is No Longer a Guarantee — What Changed in 2026

Three separate legal developments, stacked over about five weeks this summer, have made it meaningfully easier for asylum seekers to end up in removal proceedings in 2026. A pending case is no longer, by itself, protection against removal while it's decided. Here's exactly what changed, what a court referral does and doesn't mean, and what to do if you or someone you know has a pending case.

The October 2026 Visa Bulletin: A New Fiscal Year, Some Dates Moved Backward

If you looked at the October 2026 Visa Bulletin expecting the usual fresh-fiscal-year boost, you may have been surprised. October marks the start of FY 2027 and a new annual allocation of visa numbers — and several employment-based categories still retrogressed. The Department of State says so directly in the bulletin itself. Here's exactly what moved, what didn't, why a new fiscal year doesn't guarantee forward movement, and what to do if your category is one of the ones that pulled back.

The Approval Isn't the Finish Line: Preparing for Your EB-1A Interview

An approved I-140 for extraordinary ability feels like the hard part is over. It isn't, necessarily. In 2026, an interview stands between most EB-1A petitioners and their green card — and because EB-1A is a self-petition with no employer and no job offer, the questions you'll face look nothing like a typical employment-based interview. Here's why this step carries more weight than it used to, what officers are actually checking, and how to walk in prepared.

Your case, in one place — now on iPhone and Android

The Hasan Legal Client Portal brings your case information, documents, messages, intake forms, appointments and billing together in one workspace. You can see what stage your matter has reached and which tasks are waiting on you, upload requested documents or capture them with your phone camera, work through assigned checklists and intake forms at your own pace, review available USCIS tracking, message your legal team about a specific case, and check invoices, payments and outstanding balances. It is available in any web browser and as a mobile app on the Apple App Store and Google Play, with…

CPT Just Got Harder to Approve - Here's What's Actually Changing

SEVP has tightened its guidance on Curricular Practical Training, changing how schools determine whether a CPT placement genuinely counts as an integral part of a student's curriculum. Some universities have already paused certain CPT programs in response — a real disruption for students who rely on CPT for internships and for the employers who depend on that pipeline. Here's what CPT actually requires, what appears to be tightening, and what to do if your school's program is affected.

This Fight Isn't Over — Citizenship Policy Blocked in Court, Again

A federal judge has blocked the administration's latest attempt to restrict birthright citizenship, preventing federal agencies from denying citizenship to children covered by the new policy. This follows the Supreme Court's rejection of an earlier, broader attempt back in June. But the case is still moving, and the administration hasn't stopped preparing to implement it. Here's how this ruling fits into the broader pattern we've been tracking, and what it does and doesn't settle.

DHS Wants to End the 60-Day Grace Period — What That Would Mean If You're Laid Off

DHS has proposed eliminating the 60-day grace period that currently lets certain employment-based visa holders remain in the U.S. after their job ends. The proposal covers O-1 and H-1B status directly, along with E-1, E-2, E-3, H-1B1, L-1, and TN. Nothing has changed yet — but it's worth understanding exactly what's on the table. Here's what the current grace period actually does, what DHS is proposing to change, and why this is worth planning around now rather than after it happens.

No, we don't charge for evaluations

The question we field more than any other is what a case evaluation costs. The answer hasn't changed since the firm opened: nothing. Here's what you actually get back, why a person reads every one, and the point where an evaluation stops and legal advice begins.

A New $103,265 H-1B Fee Is Proposed — and It's Not the One You Already Heard About

DHS has proposed a new $103,265 fee on cap-subject H-1B petitions — separate from, and in addition to, the $100,000 payment that's still tangled up in litigation. Nothing is final yet, but the direction is unmistakable: six-figure H-1B costs are looking less like a temporary policy fight and more like where the program is headed. Here's what's actually proposed, how it differs from the fee you may already know about, and what it means for employer-sponsored hiring going forward.

The State Department Paused Immigrant Visas Worldwide — Here's What That Actually Means

The State Department has paused immigrant visa processing at U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide. Applicants with interviews already scheduled have received cancellation emails, with no confirmed new date. The pause affects consular processing abroad — not adjustment of status filed inside the U.S. Here's what's actually happening, how it connects to the 75-country visa ban a federal court already struck down, and what to do if your interview was one of the ones cancelled.