Policy

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.

You filed your asylum application months ago and have been following every shift in immigration policy. Now the government is reporting the lowest border crossing numbers in over 30 years — and calling it a permanent change. For immigrants already inside the US, that shift in enforcement tone has direct consequences for removal proceedings, asylum cases, and work permit renewals.

President Trump signed the Secure America Act on June 10, 2026, locking in nearly $70 billion for DHS immigration enforcement through 2029. ICE confirmed it ran removal operations through the July 4th holiday week without pause. For anyone in removal proceedings or with an open immigration case, this level of sustained funding changes the urgency of every deadline.

Every immigrant, visa holder, and green card holder passes through CBP when entering the United States — and in 2026, that experience is changing fast. The agency is now using facial recognition and an AI platform at select airports to screen travelers. What does that mean for your rights and your entry?

If you are fighting deportation in immigration court, the rules just changed — and not in your favor. The Department of Justice has issued a new regulation that gives the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) the power to skip a full review of your case and decide it without looking at the details. For immigrants in removal proceedings, this could mean faster decisions with less chance to be heard.

You spent months preparing your green card or work permit application. You paid hundreds of dollars in filing fees. But starting July 10, 2026, USCIS can deny your case — and keep your money — simply because your signature was in the wrong format. And unlike other mistakes, this one cannot be fixed after you file.

Starting June 11, 2026, filing fees at US immigration courts went up — and for some asylum seekers, a new annual fee now has no waiver option, no matter how little money they have. The Department of Justice says the changes are required by a new law. For immigrants already fighting removal proceedings or waiting years for an asylum decision, the costs are real and immediate.

Maria de Jesus Juarez, a 64-year-old U.S. citizen from Mexico, almost lost her SNAP food benefits because of new federal work rules she didn't understand. A New York City program helped her figure it out — but that program almost didn't survive this year's budget fight. On Tuesday, the city saved it, at least for now.

On a single Friday in June 2026, CBP officers at two different Texas bridges stopped two trucks — and found a combined $72 million worth of methamphetamine hidden inside. One shipment was labeled as plastic. The other came from Reynosa, Mexico. Both are now the subject of federal criminal investigations.

Immigration attorney Ilya Fishkin explains what military immigration judges really mean for your case and what to watch out for.

A truck carrying what looked like plastic pellets crossed into Laredo, Texas — but CBP officers weren't convinced. Inside, they found over 1,100 pounds of methamphetamine worth more than $10 million. The June 15, 2026 bust is one of the largest drug seizures at this busy commercial crossing.

For years, millions of low-cost packages from overseas entered the US without paying any import taxes. That loophole is now closed. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued new rules that end duty-free treatment for shipments valued at $800 or less — and the change affects anyone who shops online from international sellers.

Thousands of migrant children sit in US government shelters, waiting for a sponsor to take them home. Now the federal government wants to add new ID and income requirements before any adult can do that. A federal court already blocked a similar policy once — and the public has until August 25, 2026 to weigh in.

On June 25, 2026, Iran attacked a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz with a drone. The next day, the US military struck Iranian targets in response. Now both countries are trading warnings — and the world's most important shipping lane is at the center of a dangerous standoff.