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The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced a major policy change that will affect individuals seeking parole or re-parole in the United States. Starting October 16, 2025, USCIS will require applicants to pay a $1,000 Immigration Parole Fee, as mandated under the H.R. 1 Reconciliation Bill. This new measure authorizes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to implement and enforce the fee. For those navigating U.S. immigration processes, this update is significant and understanding the implications is crucial.   What Is the Immigration Parole Fee? Under this new rule, individuals who are granted immigration parole (temporary permission to enter or stay in...

Recent reports indicate that USCIS officers have been conducting unannounced site visits across Minnesota and the Dakotas, targeting foreign nationals with pending STEM OPT extensions and H-1B change of status petitions. What’s Happening In multiple cases, officers have appeared at workplaces and residential addresses, often without prior notice. Some visits involved requests to meet in public areas, such as parking lots or nearby locations. While these encounters have not been tied to removal proceedings, they appear to be verification checks connected to ongoing applications. The pattern and frequency suggest a coordinated enforcement effort focusing on compliance and program integrity. What Students and Employers Should...

Following a recent service disruption, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed that the E-Verify system is now fully operational. This announcement has immediate implications for employers, HR professionals, and federal contractors who rely on E-Verify to comply with employment eligibility verification requirements. At VKM Law Group, we advise employers to act promptly to avoid penalties and maintain compliance with federal hiring laws. What Happened? Between late September and early October 2025, the E-Verify system experienced an unexpected outage, preventing users from creating new cases or updating existing ones. Now that operations have resumed, USCIS has issued specific guidance to help employers...