ISSS will highlight recent changes to immigration and what they may mean for you.  We'll keep this page updated with the most recent information and our guidance. If you have any questions, you can contact International Students and Scholar Services.

News, Statements and Press Releases

• 10/08/2026 -  Publication of the proposed rule on October 8, 2026 will begin two separate comment periods on the rule: a 30-day comment period ending November 9, 2026 for the proposed rule-related portion of the notice;  a 60 day comment period,ending on December 7, 2026 for  the information collection section of the proposed rule. After the comment period closes at the end of the day on December 7, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will first have to review the comments, develop a final rule, and then send the final rule back to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) within the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. After that review is completed, DHS could publish a final rule in the Federal Register, which would specify any revisions to the proposed rule and schedule an effective date for the final rule.
  
  ISSS will post updates in ISSS news and updates. A review of comments will take time. Rulemaking is a process involving the public, the courts and the government. The university will participate in the process, continue to monitor the situation and communicate with students, faculty and staff.
   
• 10/05/2026 -  On October 5, the Association of American Universities (AAU), Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, NAFSA and the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts (AICUM) filed a lawsuit against United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Justice  in response to two broadcast messages the agency sent in August, which suddenly – and without explanation changed a position that the federal government had endorsed for more than 35 years regarding Curricular Practical Training (CPT) for international students.  
  
  The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, asks the court to stop the government's actions before they cause further harm to students, universities, their communities, and the country. ISSS will closely follow the developments of the lawsuit and share information with campus when it becomes available.
  
  Detailed information on the lawsuit can be found on the AAU website.
   
• 09/30/2026 - Just days before the specified date, Judge Haywood Gilliam of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California issued an injunction in Global Nurse Force v. Trump. The court blocked enforcement under both the original  H-1B 100K Fee proclamation and its recent extension, ruling that the administration bypassed the mandatory federal notice-and-comment rulemaking process. The H1B 100K fee is currently not in effect. ISSS will provide updates on the court case on ISSS News and Updates.
   
• 09/18/2026 -  H1B Executive Order extends 2025 H-1B 100K Fee Proclamation for an Additional Year, until 12:00 a.m. eastern daylight time on September 21, 2027.  President Trump signed Proclamation 10973 titled Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers which sought to restrict the entry to the United States of H-1B specialty occupation workers unless employers paid an extra $100,000 fee under certain conditions. 
   
• 09/14/2026 -  Nationwide Injunction issued on Duration of Status (D/S) -  A federal court in Massachusetts has entered a nationwide preliminary injunction postponing the original September 15 effective date of the final rule ending duration of status, pending further proceedings in the case at issue.  For the time being, the University of Maryland’s extension request process will return to its former practice of accepting extension requests for students in the semester the I-20 expires and for J-1 faculty three months before the current program end date . International students’ ability to change educational objectives, transfer institutions or pursue additional programs of study has, at least for now, been preserved.  The complete text of the court's ruling is available here.
   
• 08/24/2026 -  Guidance for Designated School Officials regarding Curricular Practical Training - The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) sent a broadcast message to principal designated school officials (PDSOs) and designated school officials (DSOs) at every SEVP-certified school, titled "Reminder of Liability for DSOs Regarding CPT Authorization."
   
• 08/12/2026 - Reminder of Liability for DSOs Regarding CPT Authorization - Under SEVP Broadcast Message 2608-01, effective August 12, 2026, CPT must be an integral and essential part of a student’s curriculum, not merely related to their major or used as an employment opportunity.
   
•  08/10/2026 -  Guidance Directive 2026-01: Final Rule Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission for Exchange Visitors (J Nonimmigrants)  - The Department of State issued Guidance Directive 2026-1 instructing J-1 sponsors to add an “Expected Completion Date” comment in the DS-2019 description box if the SEVIS program end date differs from the full expected J-1 program, allowing at CBP’s discretion at the port of entry to admit the J-1 scholar up to four years.
   
• 08/01/2026 - Media reports indicate that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers are present at some U.S. airports and have detained people whose I-94 admission periods had expired, including some with pending applications to extend, change, or adjust their immigration status. These reports raise concerns for foreign nationals whose I-94s have expired while a timely filed immigration application remains pending with USCIS. Faculty and students in this situation should avoid non-essential domestic and international travel.  Anyone with questions regarding this issue should contact ISSS.  If a faculty member is detained, contact ISSS immediately at 301-314-1713.
   
• 07/17/2026 -  D/S Final Rule - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officially published a Final Rule in the Federal Register that will change how F-1 students, J-1 exchange visitors, and their dependents are admitted to and maintain lawful status in the United States. Although the Final Rule has now been published, it will not take effect until September 15, 2026, following a 60-day implementation period. During this period, current immigration regulations, procedures, and advising practices will remain in effect.  Learn more about D/S.
   
• 06/12/2026 - District Court Temporarily Stays Order Vacating $100,000 H-1B Fee - A Massachusetts district court has temporarily paused its June 8 order vacating the $100,000 H-1B proclamation fee policy; the pause will remain in place until an appeals court can rule on the government’s anticipated request for a stay of the June 8 vacate decision. Please review the Fragomen Immigration Alert on this issue.
   
• 06/08/2026 - United States District Court Ruling Vacates the $100,000.00 H1B Fee - A district court ruling vacated the $100,000.00 H1B proclamation fee policy in its entirety.  Please review the Fragomen Immigration Alert on this issue. Currently, USCIS should not require the $100,000.00 fee for any H1B filing. It is expected that the Administration will file an appeal and may request a stay of this court’s decision.  If a stay is granted then the fee could go back into effect.
   
• 06/05/2026 - Federal District Court Vacates 40-Jurisdiction Adjudications Hold and Related Polices - A federal district court in Rhode Island issued a ruling that has positively impacted applicants from the 40 jurisdictions impacted by the current travel ban.  It is expected that the court’s ruling will have a nationwide impact.  It is expected that the Trump administration will appeal the decision.
  The court's ruling declared several policies to be unlawful and vacated four USCIS policies:
  • Suspending immigration benefits applications from the 40 countries and areas subject to the current travel ban;
  • Treating nationality or citizenship from a travel ban country or jurisdiction as a negative factor in an application for an immigration benefit;
  • Reviewing USCIS immigration benefits requests approved on or after January 20, 2021 for applications involving people from travel ban jurisdictions;
  • Suspending adjudications of asylum applications.
  • Please see the Fragomen Immigration Alert on this matter.  This information is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice.
     
• 05/22/2026 - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Will Grant ‘Adjustment of Status’ Only in Extraordinary Circumstances -  The memorandum reiterates that adjustment of status (AOS) under Immigration and Nationality Act Section 245, the process allowing certain foreign nationals to apply for permanent residence from within the U.S., is discretionary in nature and not guaranteed. 
   
• 02/13/2026 - DHS Terminates Temporary Protected Status for Yemen -  The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status for Yemen. The termination is effective 60 days after the notice is published in the Federal Register.
   
• 1/21/2026 - DOS Pauses Immigrant Visa Issuance for Nationals of 75 Countries -  The U.S. Department of State (DOS) announced a pause on issuing immigrant visas for nationals of 75 countries starting January 21, 2026, citing a high risk of public benefit usage, with processing to resume after a policy review. This affects family-based and employment-based immigrants. Applicants can still apply and interview, and visas are paused until the review is completed. Click here for the list of countries. 
  
  Nonimmigrant visas (like tourist/student/scholar)  and visas previously issued are not impacted by the pause. Exceptions exist for dual nationals using a passport from a country not included on the list.
   
• 1/12/2026 - Premium Processing Fees Increase on March 31, 2026. USCIS will raise premium processing fees effective March 1, 2026. The final rule summarizes the changes: "premium processing fees that were $1,685, increase to $1,780; the premium processing fees that were $1,965, increase to $2,075; and the premium processing fees that were $2,805, increase to $2,965."
   
• 01/05/2026 -  USCIS Expands and Clarifies Adjudication Policies Applied to Foreign Nationals from Travel Ban Countries - On January 1, 2026, USCIS issued a new memorandum that expanded its current adjudication hold policy to foreign nationals from countries on the new travel ban list published on December 16, 2025 . The policy memorandum affects individuals born in countries or citizens of countries listed in Presidential Proclamations 10998. The memorandum requires a re-review of immigration benefits that were approved on or after January 20, 2021 if the foreign national is from a country on the newly published travel ban list. 

2025 News, Statements and Press Releases

• 08/05/2026 - USCIS expanded an Adjudicator's authority to deny an application without issuing a Request for Evidence.  Guidance was issued by USCIS authorizing its adjudicators the ability to deny a filing without first issuing a Request for Evidence, or a Notice of Intent to Deny. Please review this Fragomen Update on the policy.
   
• 08/01 /2026- Media reports indicate that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers are present at some U.S. airports and have detained people whose I-94 admission periods had expired, including some with pending applications to extend, change, or adjust their immigration status. These reports raise concerns for foreign nationals whose I-94s have expired while a timely filed immigration application remains pending with USCIS. Faculty in this situation should avoid non-essential domestic and international travel.  Anyone with questions regarding this issue should contact the International Faculty and Scholar Team at ISSS.  If a faculty member is detained, contact ISSS immediately at 301-314-1713.
   
• 08/01/2026 - The Department of State has made a decision to regionalize visa processing for 25 Consular Posts located in Africa. Please review the Fragomen Update on the realignment of the posts. The Department of State has posted FAQs on this matter.
   
• 12/29/2025 - DHS H-1B Weighted Selection Final Rule Effective February 27, 2026 -  Department of Homeland Security-US Citizenship and Immigration Services (DHS/USCIS) published a final rule titled Weighted Selection Process for Registrants and Petitioners Seeking to File Cap-Subject H-1B Petitions.
   
• 12/16/2025 - Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States - Effective January 1, 2026,  Presidential Proclamation 10949 modifies and expands the the list of countries on the U.S. travel ban.  Reference NAFSA's webpage for the list of countries with a full/partial ban.
   
• 12/12/2025 - USCIS issued a Policy Alert announcing new guidance governing the submission and reuse of photographs for immigration benefit requests. The alert applies to immigrant requests.
  
  For all non-immigrant requests (e.g., a Form I-765/OPT application), USCIS may reuse a previously collected Biometrics Services Appointment (BSA) photograph if it is less than three years old at the time of filing, at the discretion of USCIS.  It is possible that you may receive a notification to schedule a BSA at an Application Support Center (ASC) as part of the application process. Applicants should follow the instructions provided in the notification to schedule the BSA at the closest available ASC. We recommend Employment Authorization Document (EAD) applicants continue to follow the posted instructions and submit two passport-style photographs with their applications until USCIS updates its instructions.
  
  If you receive a USCIS communication regarding a photo or biometric appointment request and have questions, please contact your ISSS advisor. We will continue to monitor developments and provide updates as needed.
   
• 12/05/2025 - Announcement of Expanded Screening and Vetting for H-1B and Dependent H-4 Visa Applicants - Effective December 15, 2025, the U.S. Department of State will expand social media vetting to H-1B workers and their H-4 dependent family members. Applicants will be required to make their social media profiles public for consular review. The expansion will apply to both initial and renewal applications. Please allow for increased delays in visa processing. 
   
• 12/02/2025 - USCIS Policy Memo-Halting of Asylum and Benefit applications submitted by citizens of the 19 countries listed in Presidential Proclamation 10949 -  USCIS issued a Policy memorandum instructing a hold and review of all USCIS benefits applications filed by individuals from 19 countries.
  
  The USCIS Policy Memo issued on December 2nd, 2025, references Proclamation 10949, and halts the processing of Asylum applications and all other benefit applications from citizens of the 19 countries mentioned in the earlier proclamation. It requires a thorough review and possible re-review and interviews of any applicant from the listed countries.  This could cause delays in processing of any USCIS applications such as OPT applications (Form I-765), Change of status applications (I-539), Application to adjust status (Form I-485), and others.
  
  Presidential Proclamation 10949 was issued on June 4th, 2025.  Entitled, “Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals To Protect the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats”, the proclamation listed 19 countries that would have restrictions placed on citizens seeking to enter the U.S. Twelve countries would be subject to full restrictions: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.   Seven countries would be subject to partial restrictions:  Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
  
  If you are in F-1 or J-1 immigration status and are a national of one of these 19 countries you are subject to a travel ban. If you are in H-1B immigration status and are from one of the 12 countries subject to full restrictions, you are subject to the Proclamation.  Please contact an ISSS advisor prior to undertaking any international travel.   
  
   
• 11/24/2025 - DHS Terminating Temporary Protected Status for Burma -  The Secretary of Homeland Security announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Burma (Myanmar). The termination will be effective on Jan 26, 2026. 
   
• 10/30/2025 - DHS Ends Automatic Extension of Certain Employment Authorization - The Department of Homeland Security published an Interim Final Rule (IFR)  that ends the automatic extension of employment authorization for certain categories. Notably, the rule does not apply to F-1 holders applying to Optional Practical Training (OPT) or STEM OPT as those are not visa renewals. The rule primarily impacts refugees, asylees, those granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and spouses of certain H-1B visa holders, among others. The IFR rescinds a Biden-era policy that automatically extended work authorization for certain individuals for 540 days, up from 180 days.
   
• 10/20/2025 - USCIS Guidance on when the $100K H-1B Proclamation Will and Will not Apply - USCIS clarified when certain H-1B petitions will and will not be subject to the $100,000 fee under Presidential Proclamation 10973 of September 19, 2025 titled "Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers." USCIS clarified that the proclamation will not apply to H-1B petitions that are requesting an amendment, change of status, or extension of stay for an alien inside the United States when the application is approved.  It additionally clarifies that an H-1B beneficiary of an approved petition is eligible to apply for a visa and to travel internationally. 
   
  • When the Proclamation applies
    • New H-1B petitions filed on or after September 21, 2025, for beneficiaries outside the U.S. who do not have a valid H-1B visa.
    • New petitions filed on or after September 21, 2025, requesting consular notification
  • When the Proclamation does NOT apply
    • Any previously issued and currently valid H-1B visas.
    • H-1B Petitions submitted before September 21, 2025.
    • Travel by current H-1B beneficiaries with approved petitions.
    • Petitions filed after September 21, 2025, for a person physically present in the U.S.  requesting an amendment, change of status, change of employer or extension and is granted that amendment, change, transfer or extension. (i.e. F1 student on OPT with approved change of status to H-1B)
       
• 9/30/2025 - What Happens at UMD if There’s a Federal Government Shutdown - At 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, many parts of the U.S. government may begin the process of shutting down if Congress doesn’t pass a stopgap funding measure to keep the lights on and the bills paid.
   
• 09/19/2025 - Termination of the Designation of Syria for Temporary Protected Status - The Secretary of Homeland Security is terminating the designation of Syria for Temporary Protected Status. The designation of Syria is set to expire on September 30, 2025.
   
• 09/06/2025 - Department of State Announces Immediate Changes to Nonimmigrant Visa Applications - As of September 6, 2025, the United States Department of State is requiring all nonimmigrant visa applicants to schedule visa interviews in their country of residence or nationality.  This is a significant change to visa processing and has implications for visa applicants currently outside the U.S. Please review the Fragomen Alert for more information.