Attorney Debora Medina

USCIS Reverses Policy on Extended EAD Validity Effective December 5, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will implement a major revision to Employment Authorization Document (EAD) validity periods. The agency is shortening the maximum validity for certain categories from five years to 18 months, thereby rescinding the extension granted in September 2023. USCIS indicates…

Preparing for H-2A Compliance, Strategy, & Workforce Planning The H-2A program continues to be one of the most reliable paths for agricultural employers seeking seasonal labor — but it also remains one of the most heavily regulated. In our recent webinar, we walked employers through the full H-2A process, compliance requirements, the new 2025 AEWR…

DHS Ends Automatic Extension of Employment Authorization The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on October 29, 2025, an Interim Final Rule ending the automatic extension of Employment Authorization Document (EAD). The rule will apply to EAD applications filed on or after October 30, 2025. Key Takeaways  The rule eliminates the automatic 540-day extension previously…

H-1B Visa Fee Update: USCIS Releases Guidance on $100K H-1B Visa Fee In response to the Presidential Proclamation Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers announced on September 2025, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released guidance on the application of the $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee.    Key Takeaways: Does not apply to individuals who already…

Add New $1,000 Parole Fee: What does it mean for Parole Applicants? As part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will begin charging a $1,000 fee to individuals who are granted parole into the U.S., with limited exceptions. The new fee will be effective starting October 16, 2025….

DACA’s Potential Return: What This Means for Dreamers and Employers In response to the ongoing Texas v. United States case, the federal government has proposed resuming the processing of initial Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) applications. However, under the current proposal, DACA applicants residing in Texas would not be eligible for employment authorization. The…

DOL Interim Final Rule on H-2A Adverse Effect Wage Rates (AEWR) On October 2, 2025, the Department of Labor (DOL) published an Interim Final Rule (IFR) revising how it calculates the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) for H-2A agricultural workers in non-range occupations. This change comes after the prior 2023 AEWR rule was vacated in…

A Turning Point for CDL Regulation: The DOT’s Emergency Ruling on Non-Domiciled CDLs The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), issued an emergency interim final rule that sharply tightens the eligibility for individuals who are not citizens or permanent residents (Non-domiciled) to obtain commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) and commercial learner’s…

New I-94 Arrival/Departure Record Fees U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has officially announced new and increased fees for I-94 forms, as required under H.R. 1 (“One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” Public Law 119‑21). The updated fees took effect on September 30, 2025, and apply to I‑94 forms at land borders, Electronic System for Travel…

E-Verify Unavailable Due to Government Shutdown As of October 1, 2025, E-Verify is temporarily unavailable because of a lapse in federal funding and statutory authority. During this time, employers will be unable to enroll in E-Verify, create E-Verify cases, view or take action on any case, add, delete, or edit any user account, reset passwords,…

Potential U.S. Government Shutdown in October 2025: What Employers and Visa Applicants Need to Know We would like to inform you that a U.S. federal government shutdown is possible at the start of Fiscal Year 2026, on October 1, 2025, due to ongoing budget negotiations in Congress. While no shutdown has been officially announced, we…

Navigating TPS Updates: Risks, Alternatives, and Compliance for Businesses Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is a humanitarian program that allows nationals from certain countries experiencing conflict, disaster, or other extraordinary conditions to live and work legally in the United States. While TPS provides vital relief for individuals, it is designed to be temporary and does not…