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On June 8, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts issued a significant decision invalidating the Trump Administration’s $100,000 H-1B payment requirement. The court granted summary judgment to a coalition of states, concluding that the Executive Branch exceeded its authority when it imposed the payment through a presidential proclamation rather than through
The USCIS Adjustment of Status Memorandum Since USCIS published Policy Memorandum PM-602-0199 on May 21, 2026, immigration lawyers, employers, universities, and foreign nationals have spent the last several days trying to assess the practical and legal implications of what may become one of the most consequential immigration policy shifts in decades. The initial reaction understandably
The Gold Card Lawsuit and the Limits of Executive Immigration Power The federal lawsuit challenging the Gold Card immigration program brings legal structure to what had previously been an open policy question: how far the executive branch can go in reshaping employment-based immigration without Congress. The case, American Association of University Professors v. U.S. Department
The U.S. Gold Card Program: What It Changes, What It Does Not, and Why the Risk Still Matters On September 19, 2025, the Trump administration issued Executive Order 14351, creating what is now known as the Gold Card program. The order directs the Departments of Commerce, Homeland Security, and State to establish a process allowing
The past year has brought dramatic changes to the technology sector. Major companies have announced large-scale layoffs while at the same time making unprecedented investments in artificial intelligence and automation. This combination raises difficult questions. Why are companies cutting tens of thousands of jobs while simultaneously committing billions to new technologies? Part of the answer
USCIS Clarifies the new $100,000 H-1B fee. Effective for petitions filed on or after September 21, 2025, USCIS requires a $100,000 supplemental payment on new H-1B petitions tied to entry. Existing H-1B holders and beneficiaries of routine in-U.S. changes of status, extensions, amendments, or changes of employer petitions remain unimpacted by this fee even if
Will the $100,000 H-1B Fee Apply to You? 2025 Employer Action Guide What’s Happening With H-1B Visas Right Now? After our last blog post, many readers reached out with questions about whether their petitions will be subject to the $100,000 H-1B fee announced in the September 19 proclamation. The common thread in these inquiries is
A $100,000 fee to hire an H-1B worker. Two days’ notice. No exemptions for hospitals losing doctors or universities mid-research project. On September 19, 2025, President Trump issued a proclamation conditioning the entry of H-1B workers on their employers paying a six-figure fee, effective September 21. Hospitals scrambled to retain staff, tech companies froze hiring,
H-1B Lottery Overhaul: What Employers Need to Know About the New Wage-Based System The H-1B lottery has always been a source of uncertainty. Every year, employers prepare registrations and hope that the odds break their way. Until now, the system has been a simple draw: one chance per beneficiary, regardless of the job, the salary,
The $100,000 H-1B Fee: What the USCIS Proclamation Really Means When the White House rolled out its proclamation under INA § 212(f), it sounded like a wall was about to come down. The text tied the $100,000 requirement to entry into the United States. Employers rushed to interpret what that meant, workers abroad wondered if
