USCIS seems to be obsessed about heightening the good moral character standard for citizenship for the purpose of delay. On August 19, 2025 USCIS announced that it would evaluate good moral character in the naturalization context to encompass a “holistic assessment of an alien’s behavior, adherence to societal norms, and positive contributions that affirmatively demonstrate […]
By Cyrus D. Mehta and Kaitlyn Box* In early 2023, USCIS reversed its longstanding policy of recognizing only the Final Action Dates (FAD) in the State Department Visa bulletin as protecting a child’s age under the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA), and agreed to use the Dates for Filing (DFF) to protect the age of […]
In recent weeks, the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts have increasingly turned towards U.S. citizens. Indeed President Trump has been insinuating that his administration would look into taking away the citizenship of a number of high profile people. A June 11, 2025 memorandum entitled Civil Division Enforcement Priorities and authored by Assistant Attorney General Brett […]
On July 4, 2025, Congress passed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”. Among its many other provisions, the megabill imposes a number of immigration-related changes. Pursuant to the Act, asylum applications, which historically have been able to be filed at no cost, will now be subject to a $100 filing fee. An additional $100 annual […]
By Cyrus D. Mehta and Kaitlyn Box* The Trump administration is doing its best to kill executive actions that benefit vulnerable noncitizens. In a June 6, 2025 Policy Alert, the administration announced that it would rescind automatic consideration of deferred action for noncitizens classed as Special Immigrant Juveniles (SIJ) who are unable to able for […]
In a previous blog, excerpted here, we analyzed Walmart, Inc. v. Jean King, which involved a challenged by Walmart to the administrative proceedings against it for violations of immigration-related recordkeeping requirements on the ground that the proceedings were “being conducted by an administrative law judge (“ALJ”) who is unconstitutionally shielded from the President’s supervision. ALJs […]
On March 25, 2025, DHS terminated parole programs that had allowed an estimated 530,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans to enter the United States legally in 2022 and 2023. The federal register notice stated that “Paroled aliens, including those paroled under the CHNV parole programs, may apply for any immigration benefit or status for which […]
In recent weeks, the Trump administration has launched a concerted assault on international students and their ability to remain in the U.S. In the latest volleys against Harvard University, the Trump administration ordered the revocation of Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification, which will ban the university from enrolling international students and force […]
By Cyrus D. Mehta and Kaitlyn Box* On April 30, 2025, Judge Geoffrey Crawford of the United Stated District Court for the District of Vermont ordered in Mahdawi v. Trump that our client, Mohsen Mahdawi, a long-time lawful permanent resident and Columbia university student activist advocating for the human rights of Palestinians, be released from […]
Donald Trump’s recent reelection has sparked fears that restrictionist immigration policies will abound come January 20, 2025 onwards. During the time that remains of his presidency, President Biden can still act to safeguard the immigration system and implement policies that support and benefit immigrants through executive action. Cyrus Mehta has long advocated for one such […]
