DHS Proposes Rule to Prioritize Americans' Safety by Strengthening Screening of Asylum Seekers

Changes to work permits would reduce meritless applications, processing times, and backlog

WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is proposing a rule to reduce the incentive for aliens to file fraudulent asylum claims so they can obtain work authorizations.

"For too long, a fraudulent asylum claim has been an easy path to working in the United States, overwhelming our immigration system with meritless applications," said a DHS Spokesperson. "We are proposing an overhaul of the asylum system to enforce the rules and reduce the backlog we inherited from the prior administration. Aliens are not entitled to work while we process their asylum applications. The Trump administration is strengthening the vetting of asylum applicants and restoring integrity to the asylum and work

Visa Bulletin April 2026 Predictions

For official March 2026 Visa Bulletin & Analysis, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2026/visa-bulletin-march-2026.aspx

Please see April 2026 Visa Bulletin Predictions below (for both Family Based and Employment Based categories for all countries):

Family Based:

Final Action Dates

Dates For Filing Applications

"Final Action Date" is the date when when USCIS/DOS may render their final decision on submitted applications. Your priority date should be before this date.

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA-mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	01DEC16	01DEC16	01DEC16	22FEB07	22MAR13
F2A	08APR24	08APR24	08APR24	01APR23	08APR24
F2B	15DEC16	15DEC16	15DEC16	01JUN09	22JAN13
F3	22SEP11	22SEP11	22SEP11	08MAY01	01MAY05
F4	22JAN08	22JAN08	15NOV06	01MAY01	01NOV06

"Date for Filing Application" is the date when you can submit I-485/NVC applications to USCIS/DOS. Your priority date should be before this date.

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA-mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	01NOV17	01NOV17	01NOV17	22JAN08	08JUN15
F2A	C	C	C	C	C
F2B	01MAY17	01MAY17	01MAY17	22MAY10	08NOV13
F3	08AUG12	08AUG12	08AUG12	08JUL01	01AUG06
F4	01APR09	01APR09	08JAN07	22MAY01	15FEB08

March 2026 Visa Bulletin

For February 2026 Visa Bulletin, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2026/visa-bulletin-february-2026.aspx

For analysis of March 2026 Visa Bulletin, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2026/visa-bulletin-analysis-march-2026.aspx

March 2026 Visa Bulletin has been officially released (valid from March 1 to March 31 only). Please see below for more details.

Family Based:

Final Action Dates

Dates For Filing Applications

"Final Action Date" is the date when when USCIS/DOS may render their final decision on submitted applications. Your priority date should be before this date.

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability  Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA-mainland  born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	08NOV16	08NOV16	08NOV16	22DEC06	01MAR13
F2A	01FEB24	01FEB24	01FEB24	01FEB23	01FEB24
F2B	01DEC16	01DEC16	01DEC16	15FEB09	22DEC12
F3	08SEP11	08SEP11	08SEP11	01MAY01	01MAR05
F4	08JAN08	08JAN08	01NOV06	08APR01	01SEP06

"Date for Filing Application" is the date when you can submit I-485/NVC applications to USCIS/DOS. Your priority date should be before this date.

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability  Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA- mainland  born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	01SEP17	01SEP17	01SEP17	01DEC07	22APR15
F2A	22FEB26	22FEB26	22FEB26	22FEB26	22FEB26
F2B	15MAR17	15MAR17	15MAR17	15FEB10	01OCT13
F3	22JUL12	22JUL12	22JUL12	01JUL01	01JUN06
F4	01MAR09	01MAR09	15DEC06	30APR01	15JAN08

March 2026 Visa Bulletin Analysis

For March 2026 Visa Bulletin, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2026/visa-bulletin-march-2026.aspx

Please see below analysis of March 2026 Visa Bulletin:

Family Based:

Final Action Dates

Dates For Filing Applications

"Final Action Date" is the date when when USCIS/DOS may render their final decision on submitted applications. Your priority date should be before this date.

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA-mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change
F2A	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change
F2B	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change
F3	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change
F4	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	+1 Month 10 Days

"Date for Filing Application" is the date when you can submit I-485/NVC applications to USCIS/DOS. Your priority date should be before this date.

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA-mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change
F2A	+1 Month	+1 Month	+1 Month	+1 Month	+1 Month
F2B	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change
F3	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	+4 Months
F4	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change

Cap Reached for First Allocation of Returning Worker H-2B Visas FY 2026

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services received enough petitions to reach the cap for the additional 18,490 H-2B visas made available for the first allocation of returning workers of fiscal year 2026 with start dates from Jan. 1 to March 31, 2026, under the H-2B supplemental cap temporary final rule (FY 2026 TFR). Feb. 6, 2026, was the final receipt date for petitions requesting supplemental H-2B visas under the first allocation of returning worker H-2B visas for FY 2026.

USCIS received more petitions than available H-2B visas for the FY 2026 first allocation of returning workers. In accordance with regulations, the agency used a computer-generated selection process to fairly allocate the

DHS Terminates Temporary Protected Status for Yemen

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem today announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status for Yemen. The termination is effective 60 days after the notice is published in the Federal Register.

Yemen was initially designated for Temporary Protected Status on Sept. 3, 2015, based on a determination that there was an ongoing armed conflict and that, due to that conflict, requiring nationals of Yemen to return would pose a serious threat to their personal safety. Following the initial designation, DHS extended or extended and redesignated Yemen for TPS in 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2023, and 2024.  

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MS-13 Gang Member Who Confessed to 5 Murders Arrested Just Weeks Before Spanberger Ended ICE Cooperation

7 of the 10 safest cities in the U.S. work with ICE law enforcement

WASHINGTON – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services was instrumental in the apprehension of an MS-13 gang member and confessed murderer in Virginia just weeks before Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger took office and ended the state's cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Through rigorous screening and vetting of his applications for asylum and work authorization in the United States, USCIS identified Edwin Antonio Hernandez Hernandez's extensive criminal history and illegal status. USCIS officials coordinated with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which resulted in ICE swiftly arresting Hernandez, 27, of El Salvador, at a USCIS appointment in Alexandria.

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