Headlines:
DHS Reverses Course, Restores Pupil SEVIS Information—However Future Stays Unsure – Following quite a few lawsuits and courtroom orders, DHS all of the sudden restored many overseas college students’ SEVIS information that it had abruptly deleted, however uncertainty remained.
Cap Reached for Further H-2B Returning Staff for Early Second Half of FY 2025 – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Companies has obtained sufficient petitions to achieve the cap for the extra 19,000 H-2B visas made accessible for returning staff for the early second half of fiscal yr 2025 with begin dates from April 1 to Might 14, 2025.
H-1B Staff, Others Receiving Requests for Proof Asking for House Addresses for Biometric Knowledge Assortment – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Companies has begun issuing Requests for Proof searching for residence addresses for the aim of amassing biometric knowledge in H-1B and I-140 employment-based petitions, elevating issues.
DHS Says SAVE Database Is Being Overhauled – The Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements database is being overhauled by the Division of Homeland Safety, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Companies, and the Division of Authorities Effectivity.
Mexican Nationwide Sentenced for Smuggling and Labor Trafficking Scheme – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Companies assisted in an investigation resulting in the sentencing of a Mexican nationwide to 51 months’ imprisonment for her involvement in a smuggling and labor trafficking scheme.
Agency within the Information
Particulars:
DHS Reverses Course, Restores Pupil SEVIS Information—However Future Stays Unsure
Within the wake of a wave of dozens of lawsuits and emergency courtroom orders following sudden revocations of the visas of overseas college students and students and deletion of 1000’s of Pupil and Trade Customer Data System (SEVIS) information by the Division of Homeland Safety (DHS) with out discover or rationalization, which have thrown overseas college students’ lives into chaos, the company all of the sudden reversed course on April 25, 2025, and restored many overseas college students’ SEVIS information, together with their authorized standing.
The administration despatched out combined indicators, nonetheless, as DHS officers have been quoted as saying that this motion was non permanent whereas the company labored on a new, unspecified coverage. Tricia McLaughlin, a DHS spokesperson, stated, “We have now not reversed course on a single visa revocation. What we did is restore SEVIS entry for individuals who had not had their visa revoked.” An announcement from a authorities legal professional in one of many lawsuits stated, “ICE is creating a coverage that can present a framework for SEVIS document terminations. Till such a coverage is issued, the SEVIS information for plaintiff(s) on this case (and different equally located plaintiffs) will stay Energetic or shall be re-activated if not at the moment lively and [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement] is not going to modify the document solely primarily based on the NCIC discovering that resulted within the latest SEVIS document termination.”
“It’s good to see ICE acknowledge the illegality of its actions canceling SEVIS registrations for these college students. Unhappy that it took dropping 50 instances. What we don’t but know is what ICE will do to restore the harm it has executed, particularly for these college students who misplaced jobs and gives and had visas revoked,” stated Charles Kuck, an legal professional for among the overseas pupil plaintiffs. Some affected college students have already left america, whereas others are in hiding or not attending class, based on experiences.
Faculties and universities have needed to take care of the uncertainty and different results of those actions on their college students, students, and applications; their capacity to conduct analysis; and issues about whether or not U.S. universities will be capable to appeal to high expertise sooner or later.
Cap Reached for Further H-2B Returning Staff for Early Second Half of FY 2025
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Companies (USCIS) introduced on April 23, 2025, that it has obtained sufficient petitions to achieve the cap for the extra 19,000 H-2B visas made accessible underneath a non permanent last rule for returning staff for the early second half of fiscal yr (FY) 2025 with begin dates from April 1 to Might 14, 2025.
April 18, 2025, was the ultimate receipt date for petitions requesting supplemental H-2B visas underneath the FY 2025 early second half returning employee allocation, USCIS stated.
H-1B Staff, Others Receiving Requests for Proof Asking for House Addresses for Biometric Knowledge Assortment
In line with experiences, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Companies (USCIS) has begun issuing Requests for Proof (RFEs) searching for residence addresses for the aim of amassing biometric knowledge in H-1B and I-140 employment-based petitions, elevating issues. The RFEs consult with “probably adversarial info.”
“That is extremely uncommon as a result of biometrics usually are not sometimes required for these case varieties. The RFEs additionally fail to clarify the character of the adversarial info, leaving employers and attorneys at the hours of darkness,” stated Vic Goel, of Goel & Anderson. Mr. Goel advises “not responding on to the RFE by offering the beneficiary’s tackle or scheduling biometrics.” As an alternative, he stated, “the legal professional or petitioner ought to reply by citing 8 CFR 103.2(b)(16)(i), which requires USCIS to reveal any derogatory info getting used as a foundation for an adversarial resolution.”
DHS Says SAVE Database Is Being Overhauled
The Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database is being overhauled by the Division of Homeland Safety (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Companies, and the Division of Authorities Effectivity, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem introduced on April 22, 2025.
Secretary Noem stated the overhaul “eliminates charges for database searches, breaks down silos for correct outcomes, streamlines mass standing checks, and integrates felony information, immigration timelines, and addresses. Computerized standing updates and a user-friendly interface will empower federal, state, native, territorial, and tribal businesses to forestall non-citizens from exploiting taxpayer advantages or voting illegally.”
DHS stated it “will present ongoing updates to stakeholders because the SAVE Optimization Plan progresses.”
Mexican Nationwide Sentenced for Smuggling and Labor Trafficking Scheme
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Companies (USCIS) introduced on April 24, 2025, that it assisted in an investigation resulting in the sentencing of Maria Del Carmen Sanchez Potrero, a/okay/a Maria Carmela Sanchez, to 51 months’ imprisonment for her involvement in a smuggling and labor trafficking scheme. Amongst different issues, USCIS stated that victims paid Ms. Sanchez charges of $15,000 to $20,000 to be smuggled throughout the border into america and transported to the Hartford, Connecticut, space, the place they have been advised they’d should pay roughly $30,000 as well as.
Ms. Sanchez and her co-conspirators created false paperwork, together with inexperienced playing cards, for the 19 victims, lots of whom have been minors, and helped them discover employment within the Hartford space. Along with their very own jobs, some victims have been required to carry out housekeeping and yardwork with out compensation and with out having their debt decreased, USCIS stated.
The investigation was performed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Hartford Police Division, U.S. Division of Labor’s Workplace of Inspector Normal, U.S. Customs and Border Safety, USCIS, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Agency within the Information
Cyrus Mehta was interviewed on “The Lead With Jake Tapper” (transcript) (video) concerning the Mohsen Madawi case. Mr. Mehta is representing Mr. Madawi. He stated his consumer “has been arrested and detained solely for his speech, which is protected underneath the First Modification. The federal government has supplied no different proof to help his detention proper now.” Mr. Mehta famous that his consumer “was on this last stage. Citizenship is the final stage in your journey to grow to be a citizen. He had been scheduled for an interview. He was eligible for citizenship. When he went for his interview, he was really interviewed for his citizenship. And on the conclusion of the interview, when he left the workplace, brokers of the [Department of Homeland Security] arrested him. They got here in a number of vehicles and whisked him away.”
Mr. Mehta was additionally quoted by numerous media retailers on the Mohsen Mahdawi case:
- Decide Extends Order to Hold Mohsen Mahdawi, GS ’25, in Vermont, Schedules Listening to for Subsequent Week, Columbia Spectator
- Mohsen Madawi, Detained Vermonter and Palestinian Activist, Seems in Federal Court docket, VT Digger
- Decide Says Trump Administration Can’t Transfer Detained Palestinian Pupil Out of Vermont, NBC Information
- Mohsen Madawi Will Keep in Vermont as Decide Considers Case, Vermont Public
- Decide Orders Feds to Hold Detained Pupil in Vermont, WCAX3
- Palestinian Activist Seems in Court docket, to Stay in Custody, Seven Days
Mr. Mehta was quoted by Law360 in Pupil Visa Crackdown Sparks Fears of Expertise Scarcity. He stated, “If college students are actually going to be constrained as a result of they write an op-ed or submit a tweet, ICE goes to swoop down on them [and] whisk them to jail in Louisiana, no person will wish to come right here. No mum or dad of their sane thoughts will wish to ship their little one to the U.S. to review right here if that’s going to be the consequence.”
