U.S. immigration policy changes fast. A court ruling or a policy shift at USCIS can affect your visa, your green card, or your family's case.This page is updated every week on Monday by the team at Hacking Immigration Law, LLC. We track what is actually happening in immigration law, enforcement, and the courts, and explain what it means for people going through the process right now.If something in these updates raises a question about your situation, contact us for a consultation.
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ukraine and Sudan was set to end on October 19. The day before, DHS told CBS News that current beneficiaries "retain protection" and that final decisions on both programs will be made "at the appropriate time." On October 19, USCIS updated its TPS pages to say beneficiaries keep their protection, including work authorization, until that announcement. More than 100,000 Ukrainians and roughly 1,800 Sudanese were enrolled as of March 2025. DHS has not announced a new end date or a formal extension. The administration has ended TPS for more than 1 million people from over a dozen countries, including Haiti, Venezuela, and Afghanistan, and DHS also kept El Salvador's TPS in place last month while it decides.
The Washington Post reports that USCIS approved about 173,000 people for citizenship in the first eight months of 2026, a 72% drop from the same period last year. Denials also fell, by 41%, which means fewer cases are being decided at all. The naturalization backlog has grown from about 500,000 cases at the start of the administration to more than 800,000 as of August, and the average wait went from about 6 months to nearly 13. Officials point to added vetting: the 2020-era civics test, tougher English requirements, social media screening, closer review of tax returns, and interviews with neighbors and co-workers. Lawyers report fewer interviews being scheduled. A DHS spokesperson said "naturalization is a privilege, not a right."
What this means for you: If you're applying for citizenship, expect a longer wait and prepare as if your interview could come any time: study the civics test, keep your tax returns and travel history organized, and answer every question truthfully. Applying now puts you in line, so don’t lose time and contact our team.
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On October 19, federal prosecutors in California charged 28 green card holders accused of illegally voting or registering to vote, the Associated Press reports. Most had applied for citizenship. Six face misdemeanor charges for voting as noncitizens, and 22 face felony charges, including making false statements on their naturalization applications or voter registration forms. One woman was arrested right after her naturalization interview in San Diego. Some say they registered by mistake, for example when getting a driver's license, or never voted at all. Illegal voting by a noncitizen carries up to one year in prison, and lying on a citizenship application up to 10 years. Court records point to a USCIS benefits fraud audit in August.
What this means for you: Do not register to vote or vote in any U.S. election, federal, state, or local, until you are a U.S. citizen. If you were ever registered by mistake, such as at the DMV, or ever checked a box claiming to be a citizen, talk to an attorney before you file for citizenship or go to your interview.
On October 21, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit ruled 2-1 that ICE violated the due process rights of Kaveh Abedi, an Iranian man who came to the U.S. as a child refugee and has had protection from deportation to Iran for over 20 years. He had complied with ICE supervision the whole time, yet was detained after moving to Kansas in 2025 and held about eight months without the prompt interview the rules require. The court also rejected the government's argument that the six-month period the Supreme Court treats as a presumptively reasonable time to hold someone after a removal order starts over each time a person is released and re-detained. The dissenting judge said the case was moot because Abedi had already been released.
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On October 21, U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín in California barred immigration authorities from election-related home visits and field interviews aimed at people who are likely U.S. citizens. The order covers nine states: California, Connecticut, Georgia, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Wisconsin, and runs until polls close on Election Day. The judge pointed to a "high likelihood of error" in the lists DHS built from voter rolls and commercial data. DHS says it has "no plans to question or investigate people we believe to be U.S. citizens," and the government was given time to seek an appeal.
What this means for you: If immigration agents come to your door, you don't have to open it unless they show a warrant signed by a judge, and you have the right to stay silent. Our Know Your Rights guide walks you through what to say and do.
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