Immigration Update – July 07, 2025
Headlines:
DOJ Announces Civil Division Enforcement Priorities, Including Denaturalization and Ending Sanctuary Jurisdictions – On June 11, 2025, the Civil Division of the Department of Justice issued a memorandum announcing its enforcement priorities under the Trump administration. Under the memo, among other things, a policy shift heightens the priority of civil denaturalization enforcement.
Federal Judge Blocks Early TPS Termination for Haiti – On July 1, 2025, a federal judge blocked the Trump administration’s recently announced early termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti.
USCIS Clarifies, Narrows Visa Policy for TN Nonimmigrants – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services recently updated its Policy Manual for the TN nonimmigrant classification. Eligibility for TN status has been clarified or narrowed for several occupations, including economists, engineers, computer systems analysts, physicians, and scientific technicians/technologists.
‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’ Includes Immigration-Related Provisions, New Asylum Fees – Several immigration-related provisions are in the recently passed and signed “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”
Trump Again Floats ‘Temporary Pass’ Idea for Farmworkers – On a recent news program, President Trump alluded to a “temporary pass” being planned for farmworkers.
Details:
DOJ Announces Civil Division Enforcement Priorities, Including Denaturalization and Ending Sanctuary Jurisdictions
On June 11, 2025, the Civil Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a memorandum announcing its enforcement priorities under the Trump administration. Under the memo, among other things, a policy shift heightens the priority of civil denaturalization enforcement. The memo lists a variety of non-exhaustive prioritized categories for denaturalization. The Civil Division, however, “retains the discretion to pursue cases outside of these categories as it determines appropriate.”
The Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers advises foreign-born U.S. citizens with concerns about possible misrepresentations during the immigration or naturalization process or other issues to consider talking with an immigration attorney. Individuals concerned about denaturalization should also speak with an attorney before traveling abroad, as pending litigation or findings of fraud could impact re-entry or passport renewal.
Another priority under the memo is “ending sanctuary jurisdictions.” The memo states that “[c]onsistent with this directive, the Civil Division shall prioritize affirmative litigation to invalidate any State or local laws preempted by Federal law.”
Federal Judge Blocks Early TPS Termination for Haiti
On July 1, 2025, a federal judge blocked the Trump administration’s recently announced early termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti.
On June 27, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the termination of TPS for nearly 500,000 Haitians living in the United States. DHS said TPS would end on August 3, 2025, and the termination would be effective September 2, 2025.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said she determined that “overall, country conditions have improved to the point where Haitians can return home in safety.” She further determined that “permitting Haitian nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is contrary to the national interest of the United States.” DHS encouraged Haitian nationals returning home to use the U.S. Customs and Border Protection CBP Home app to report their departure from the United States. DHS noted that “Haitian nationals may pursue lawful status through other immigration benefit requests, if eligible.”
The Biden administration previously extended Haitian TPS until at least February 3, 2026. In a 23-page decision, the judge said that “[w]hen the Government confers a benefit over a fixed period of time, a beneficiary can reasonably expect to receive that benefit at least until the end of that fixed period.” The judge said the early termination violated the TPS statute, noting that many affected Haitians are working in jobs, attending school, or receiving medical treatment with the expectation that they would be allowed to remain in the United States at least through the end of this year.
USCIS Clarifies, Narrows Visa Policy for TN Nonimmigrants
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently updated its Policy Manual, Part P (Nonimmigrants) under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) for the TN nonimmigrant classification. The new guidance, effective immediately, supersedes earlier guidance.
Among other things, the TN employer must be a U.S. entity. Eligibility for TN status has been clarified or narrowed for several occupations, including economists, engineers, computer systems analysts, physicians, and scientific technicians/technologists. The relevance of the degree held and alignment of job duties are prioritized.
‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’ Includes Immigration-Related Provisions, New Asylum Fees
Several immigration-related provisions are in the recently passed and signed “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” including:
- Imposing, for the first time, a $1,000 asylum application fee and $550 for related work authorization, along with a minimum $100 annual fee for a pending asylum application, and fees for those paroled into the United States;
- Imposing a requirement for renewal of work authorization every six months and a fee of at least $550 for renewal each time for asylum applicants and parolees, including those admitted under Temporary Protected Status;
- Excluding certain immigrants, including refugees/asylees and human trafficking and domestic violence victims, from Medicaid, Medicare, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program;
- Adding a 3.5 percent tax on immigrants’ remittances for those without Social Security numbers (SSNs). Those with SSNs can receive tax credits to offset the remittance tax; and
- Earmarking additional funds for construction and improvement of immigrant detention facilities and checkpoints, and related border technology and hiring.
Trump Again Floats ‘Temporary Pass’ Idea for Farmworkers
On a recent news program, President Trump alluded to a “temporary pass” being planned for farmworkers. “We’re working on it right now. We’re going to work it so that some kind of a temporary pass where people pay taxes, where the farmer can have a little control, as opposed to you walk in and take everybody away,” he said. “[W]e’re going to do something for farmers, where we can let the farmer sort of be in charge. The farmer knows. He’s not going to hire a murderer. When you go into a farm and he’s had somebody working with him for nine years doing this kind of work, which is hard work to do, and a lot of people aren’t going to do it, and you end up destroying a farmer because you took all the people away, it’s a problem.” No further details were released as of press time.
The remarks follow Trump administration shifts back and forth about whether worksite raids might be paused in industries like hospitality, restaurant, and agricultural work, and whether undocumented farm and hotel workers might be allowed to work legally in the United States.
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