This blog post was first published as an alert.
Washington State’s new Immigrant Worker Protection Act (IWPA) took effect October 1, 2026, adding employee notice and posting requirements tied to federal Form I-9 inspections. The law reflects a broader shift: immigration compliance increasingly requires employers to navigate both federal
Continue Reading Washington’s New Immigrant Worker Protection Act: Compliance Beyond Form I-9
The move mirrors DHS’s recent approach to El Salvador.
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ukraine and Sudan was set to expire on October 19, 2026. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently stated that an announcement will “be made at the appropriate time” and that, until then, beneficiaries will “retain
Continue Reading TPS Turbulence and Timing Questions for Ukraine and Sudan
On October 8, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would impose significant new fees on schools recommending F-1 students for Optional Practical Training (OPT). DHS proposes a $70,000 fee for an initial OPT recommendation and a $30,000 fee for the
Continue Reading A New Price Tag on OPT? DHS Proposes Unprecedented Fees for F-1 Practical Training
The second update this year reveals changes in the audit process and associated procedures.
ICE has quietly updated its Form I-9 inspection guidance for the second time this year. The August 31, 2026 update to the Form I-9 Inspection Under Immigration and Nationality Act § 274A Fact Sheet does not
Continue Reading Forms, Fines, and Functionality: What ICE’s Latest I-9 Inspection Update Means for Employers
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that E-Verify employers have until January 8, 2027, to download records for cases last updated on or before December 31, 2016. USCIS will then permanently dispose of those records. The announcement does not affect employers that enrolled in 2017 or later until next
Continue Reading More Than a Download: Using USCIS’s E-Verify Records Disposal Deadline as a Compliance Checkup
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for El Salvador was set to expire on September 9, 2026. As of this writing, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has stated that “[a]n announcement on El Salvador’s TPS will be made at the appropriate time. Until such announcement is made, Salvadoran individuals present in the U.S. remain under TPS [and] retain protection.” USCIS has now reposted the same message on its TPS webpage for El Salvador, further confirming the agency’s position that Salvadoran TPS beneficiaries remain protected pending a formal announcement regarding the program’s future.
Continue Reading DHS Allows Salvadoran TPS Beneficiaries to Work and Remain, For Now
Massachusetts has enacted H.B. 5620, or the PROTECT Act, a new law designed to limit local participation in federal civil immigration enforcement, which creates immediate requirements for employers in the event they receive an ICE Notice of Inspection (“NOI”) for Forms I-9 or other employment records by subpoena, warrant or
Continue Reading Massachusetts PROTECT Act Requires Employee Notice Within 48 Hours of an ICE InspectionOn August 14, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released three key updates for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) beneficiaries and their employers. As expected, USCIS announced the final termination date for TPS for Somalia, as a District Court Judge has lifted the pause on the planned termination. At the
Continue Reading Another One Falls: Somalia TPS Terminates as USCIS Issues Ukraine and Sudan NoticesBy: Belma Burkic, Julie Barnard, and Mia Batista
On August 5, 2026, USCIS issued Policy Alert PA-2026-05, updating portions of the USCIS Policy Manual relating to evidentiary standards, Requests for Evidence (RFEs), and Notices of Intent to Deny (NOIDs). The policy update expands USCIS’ authority to deny filings
Continue Reading USCIS Policy Alert PA-2026-05: What Changed, What Didn’t, and What Employers Should Know
On August 11, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) quietly posted an update permitting certain Salvadoran Temporary Protected Status (TPS) beneficiaries to demonstrate continued work authorization by presenting their Employment Authorization Document (EAD) together with an Individual Notice that USCIS will issue. While welcome, the update arrives weeks after
Continue Reading A New Twist in the Salvadoran TPS Saga: USCIS Authorizes Work Through September 9, 2026