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US Green Card Rule Change Could Put 1 Million Applicants in Limbo
1 day ago•Source: Yahoo Finance
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Green Card Rule Pushes Most Applicants Abroad, but Economic-Benefit Cases May Qualify
The Trump administration announced a tighter green-card policy that would require many immigrants already in the U.S. to leave and apply from abroad, with adjustment of status allowed only in extraordinary circumstances; however, applications considered to provide an economic benefit or serve the national interest may continue on their current path, assessed case by case, potentially disrupting families and employers awaiting permanent residency.
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Trump moves to seize Mount Cristo Rey land for border barrier near El Paso
The Trump administration has filed a federal lawsuit to seize 14 acres at Mount Cristo Rey, a Catholic shrine near El Paso, to install border barriers and surveillance technology. The Diocese of Las Cruces says the move violates religious freedom and would damage a sacred site visited by thousands yearly; the government says the land is needed to secure the border and has offered about $183,000. Separately, construction of 30-foot border barriers south of the mountain is underway under a $95 million contract, highlighting a broader push to use eminent domain for border security.
Chicago Immigrant Tenants Seek $5M Each After Militarized Raid
Seventeen residents from a Chicago South Shore apartment complex filed administrative claims seeking about $5 million each from DHS and several federal agencies for a Sept. 30 midnight raid described as militarized. They allege unlawful entry without warrants, injuries (including a dog bite), emotional trauma, and property loss; many have since been deported or relocated. DHS says the operation complied with the law. The claims, filed under the Federal Tort Claims Act, are the first step toward lawsuits, and more are expected as advocates press for accountability after the controversial enforcement action.
Alligator Alcatraz Detention Center to Close, Detainees to be Relocated
The New York Times reports that Florida’s controversial Alligator Alcatraz detention center in the Everglades is slated to close as early as June, with detainees moved out by then and the facility dismantled afterward. Florida has been spending over $1 million daily to operate the center and is awaiting $608 million in federal reimbursement, while officials say the site was never meant to be permanent and no relocation plan has been announced, amid concerns about detainee conditions and access to lawyers.
Florida to Close Controversial Alligator Alcatraz Detention Center
Florida plans to shutter the controversial Alligator Alcatraz migrant detention facility by early June, removing detainees by that time and dismantling the site in the following weeks. The closure, coming after years of legal challenges, mounting costs, and accusations of poor conditions, follows state talks with the Trump administration. DHS denied pressuring Florida to close, and it isn't clear where detainees will be relocated as the center—once housing about 1,400 people—faces decommissioning and a return of the airport to normal operations.
Terminally ill teen dies after last goodbye with detained parents at the border
An 18-year-old Chicago-born man with terminal stage-4 colon cancer died in Durango, Mexico, a day after reuniting with his parents who had been detained by ICE while attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border to say goodbye; the parents were later released by a judge and repatriated to Mexico with consular assistance.
DOJ moves to strip citizenship from 12 naturalized Americans
The Department of Justice has filed denaturalization actions against 12 foreign-born Americans, alleging crimes that qualify for revoking citizenship, as part of a broader effort to crack down on fraud in the naturalization process; cases are in courts nationwide and denaturalization can lead to loss of citizenship and possible deportation.
DOJ expands denaturalization drive with 12 new cases
The Justice Department announced 12 new denaturalization cases, escalating the federal effort to strip citizenship from individuals accused of hiding serious crimes and committing immigration fraud, affecting people from 11 countries; critics say the approach is sweeping.
Judge Rules Congolese Teen Was Unlawfully Detained, Orders Release and Reunion
A federal district court in San Antonio ordered 19-year-old Olivia Mabiala Andre, a Congolese asylum seeker detained in Texas, released by Friday after finding her due-process rights were violated; she will reunite with her mother and siblings in Maine, while a federal appeals court temporarily blocks deportation as her asylum case is reviewed.
DHS Advances H.R.1 with New Fees, Rejections Tied to Unpaid Asylum Applications
DHS released an interim final rule under H.R.1 to fund immigration services, introducing an Annual Asylum Fee (AAF) due while an asylum case is pending and new filing and work-authority consequences. If the AAF isn’t paid within 30 days, USCIS will reject the pending Form I-589, deny related Form I-765 employment authorization, and, for those without status, initiate removal. The rule also clarifies that the I-589 filing fee may be retained if rejected as improperly filed, tightens TPS employment authorization to at most one year, adds a minimum $24 fee for Form I-102, and becomes effective May 29, 2026, with public comments due by June 29, 2026.
Judge pauses deportation as Egyptian family on plane to Michigan is re-arrested by ICE
A Texas federal judge paused the El Gamal family’s immediate deportation after ICE re-arrested them hours after their release from detention at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, while they await an immigration judge’s asylum decision. The six-member family, held for about 10 months, were on a plane to Michigan when the ruling was issued, and their lawyers argue the government acted irregularly, prompting renewed questions about due process in immigration enforcement.