Policy

USCIS wants to rewrite the rules for its genealogy records program — the system people use to dig up old immigration files on deceased relatives. The agency says the current rules leave requesters confused about which records USCIS actually holds versus which have moved to the National Archives. A proposed rule published in 2026 aims to fix that, and the public has until October 20, 2026 to weigh in.

A mother held in a Texas detention center with her two children for weeks gave up her green card just to get them out. Courts are blocking ICE at churches while judges say they are being pressured to deport faster. Here is what happened this week — and what it means for you.

You saw the footage: bulldozers cutting through one of Texas's most remote and protected landscapes, and the government initially said it wasn't happening. Now CBP has paused construction at Big Bend National Park — but the pause may be temporary, and what comes next could reshape how the southern border is enforced for years.

Starting August 5, 2026, USCIS officers can reject your immigration application on the spot — no warning, no second chance to send missing documents. The agency quietly restored "full discretion" to deny cases without first issuing a Request for Evidence (RFE) or a Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID). If your file is incomplete, you may never get the chance to fix it.

Every year, more than 380 million travelers pass through U.S. ports of entry. Starting now, the agency that screens them is rolling out a five-year plan built around artificial intelligence and expanded enforcement — and it will affect anyone who crosses a U.S. border, whether for a visa interview, a green card appointment, or a family visit.

What if federal contractors started bulldozing one of America's most iconic national parks — and the agency responsible first denied it was happening? That is exactly what unfolded at Big Bend National Park in Texas this week. Photographer Natalie Newman captured video of bulldozers plowing earth at the mouth of Santa Elena Canyon, a stretch of the Rio Grande flanked by 1,500-foot cliffs — and the agency behind it, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), has given shifting explanations ever since.

Millions of soccer fans entered the US for FIFA World Cup 2026, and CBP processed every one of them against national security databases. Now the tournament is over, CBP has returned to standard enforcement — and anyone who overstayed their authorized visit is already in the system. Here is what the agency's own data reveals, and what it means if your immigration status is now in question.

You went to a free training at a public library to learn about peaceful protest. You had no idea a DHS undercover agent was there, recording audio and handing out his phone number. Newly released court records show that is exactly what happened to activists in Minneapolis — and the surveillance went far deeper than one library meeting.

USCIS wants to make online filing mandatory for most immigration benefit requests — and a $50 discount that was supposed to push people online has not worked. The agency now plans to require e-filing for forms that have been available digitally for at least 180 days. For the 68 percent of applicants who file without an attorney, this change could mean a rejected case if they miss the shift.

A federal cash-reporting rule has nearly wiped out the money services business at Nachita's Grocery in El Paso — a community staple that has served immigrant families for generations. Customers who once lined up to wire money to Mexico or pay rent now stay away, afraid their personal data will reach immigration authorities. The rule is still in effect across dozens of zip codes, and a key court ruling is still pending.

The Trump administration is offering up to $300 million in federal policing grants to American cities — but the money comes with a condition: cities must actively support ICE immigration enforcement operations. For immigrants living in those cities, that could mean a sharply higher risk of arrest. The Justice Department plans to announce up to four finalist cities next month.

DHS updated its immigration bond regulation on August 6, 2026. The agency removed old form numbers and outdated job titles from the rules — but made clear that no rights or procedures changed. If someone you know is facing a bond hearing in immigration court, here is what this means for them.

You watch the news and wonder if anyone powerful is paying attention to what is happening to immigrants in the US. Pope Leo, the first American-born pope, has an answer — and he gave it on live television. He called Trump's immigration policies "inhuman" and pointed to his own immigrant grandparents to explain why he keeps saying it.

What if your immigration lawyer gets fined mid-hearing — and that fine affects your case? The Department of Justice has proposed a new rule that would let immigration judges issue civil money penalties for contempt of court. For anyone in removal proceedings, this changes the stakes inside the courtroom.

Overnight, the rules shifted for millions of immigrants across the US. The White House reversed a DHS pause on ICE traffic stops, the public charge rule for green card applicants came back, and F-1 students got hit with a new four-year stay limit. Here is what each change means for you right now.