This Week in Immigration: April 24, 2026

U.S. Immigration News

Visa Bulletin for May 2026: Family-Based Categories Keep Moving

The May Visa Bulletin is out, and family-based green card categories continue to move, while most employment-based categories remain stuck. F-1 saw another strong jump of about seven months. F-2B also advanced, and F-4 moved modestly. F-2A remains current across all countries, while F-3 saw only limited movement. Employment-based categories were largely unchanged. EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 did not move. EB-3 Other Workers advanced slightly, and EB-5 China edged forward.

ICE Tightens I-9 Rules, Raising Audit Risk for Employers

A new policy update from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is making I-9 audits more costly. More paperwork errors now count as “substantive,” meaning they can trigger fines immediately instead of being fixed later. Penalties range from $288 to $2,861 per form, adding up quickly for large teams. Employers still have three days to respond to an audit, but less room to correct mistakes once it starts. The takeaway: review and fix I-9s before ICE shows up.

Trump Policies Could Slow Legal Immigration and U.S. Population Growth

A new analysis found the Trump administration is tightening legal immigration across multiple fronts, from expanded travel bans and visa pauses to stricter vetting and a $100,000 H-1B fee. Early data already shows declines, including a sharp drop in student visas and fewer family-based green cards. The changes could reduce legal immigration by hundreds of thousands in 2026.

Citizenship Test Update: What Applicants Need to Know About the New Version

A newer version of the U.S. citizenship test is now in use, with a higher number of questions and a tougher passing threshold. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) expanded the civics test to 128 possible questions. Applicants are asked up to 20 and must answer 12 correctly to pass. The change applies to those who filed Form N-400 on or after October 20, 2025.

Test your knowledge with our full list of citizenship questions and answers.

TPS Holders Contribute $29B to U.S. Economy, Report Finds

Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders contribute about $29 billion annually to the U.S. economy, including nearly $8 billion in taxes, according to a new report. The findings come as the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to hear a case on efforts to end protections for some groups. About 1.3 million people currently hold TPS, with many deeply rooted in U.S. communities. 

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