Katsivalis & Anderson Law, LLC

10/01/2026

Why is the extreme hardship waiver often the hardest part of a family-based green card case? Many find the I-130 approval straightforward — proving “extreme hardship” to a qualifying U.S. citizen or permanent resident spouse or parent is what decides the outcome. Read practical guidance on building a strong waiver case and common pitfalls to avoid. Read more: https://wix.to/DPNagB0

For many people who need a waiver of the three-year or ten-year unlawful presence bar, getting the family petition approved is the easy part of the case. Proving "extreme hardship" to a qualifying U.S. citizen or permanent resident spouse or parent is usually what actually decides whether the green....

09/30/2026

USCIS changed how it reviews "public charge" for green card applicants.

For adjustment of status applications filed on or after September 18, 2026, officers can now consider a broader range of means-tested public benefits, such as Medicaid, SNAP, and housing assistance. In some cases, benefits received by certain family members can be considered too, even if the applicant never received them.

A few important points:

Applications filed before September 18 are still decided under the prior, more favorable rules.
Public charge does not apply to U.S. citizens, and it does not apply to many categories, including most green card holders, refugees, and asylees.
This rule is being challenged in court and could change.

Before you file, or before you make decisions about benefits your household uses, get advice specific to your family. Call 773.657.3633.

09/29/2026

f you are sponsoring a family member for a green card, this one matters.

Starting October 1, 2026, USCIS will only accept the new 08/24/26 edition of Form I-864, the Affidavit of Support. The older version will no longer be processed after September 30. The same change applies to Forms I-864A and I-864EZ.

The new form also includes something sponsors have not seen before: permission for USCIS to pull the sponsor's credit report. If you have a credit freeze in place, be ready to lift it if USCIS asks, since a freeze could slow things down.

If your packet is already prepared on the old form, now is the time to have it reviewed before it goes out.

Every family's path is different. Call us at 773.657.3633 to talk through yours.

09/29/2026

Does your child's immigration case depend on filing before they turn 21? Pay close attention to this change.

Starting October 23, 2026, USCIS will no longer give you until the next business day when an age-based or eligibility deadline falls on a weekend or federal holiday. If that birthday lands on a Saturday, the filing needs to be received before the cutoff.

The next-business-day extension will still apply to paper filings with deadlines counted in a set number of days, such as a 30-day response window. Online filings do not get any extension, even on weekends or holidays.

The safest approach is simple: don't plan to file at the last minute. If your family has an age-related deadline coming up, reach out now at 773.657.3633.

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09/28/2026

New executive order alert: Federal agencies will now weigh employer layoffs when reviewing H-1B petitions — and the $100,000 supplemental H‑1B fee has been extended through Sept 2027 (though currently blocked by court). If your employer sponsors H‑1B status or your company handles sponsorships, this could affect petition reviews and compliance steps. Read our breakdown and what employers and employees should consider next: https://wix.to/tokjcno

A new executive order signed on September 18, 2026 directs federal agencies to weigh an H-1B sponsoring employer's recent or planned layoffs of U.S. workers when reviewing that employer's H-1B petitions and labor condition applications, and it separately extends the $100,000 supplemental H-1B fee re...

09/21/2026

New BIA ruling changes how Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) affects young people in detention — especially when they turn 18. An approved SIJ petition no longer automatically gives an immigration judge authority to release someone from immigration detention, and that gap can leave aging-out juveniles in a vulnerable spot.

Read our breakdown of what the decision means for SIJS cases, detention, and next steps for advocates and families: https://wix.to/nbYLQH3

An approved Special Immigrant Juvenile petition does not by itself give an immigration judge the power to release someone from immigration detention, according to a Board of Immigration Appeals decision issued this year, and that gap matters most for young people who age out of childhood while their...

09/21/2026

FYI- For Your Immigration - https://mailchi.mp/kaimmigrationlaw/its-h-1b-season-16548849 This month's KA Immigration Law newsletter is out, and there's a lot worth your attention; your annual asylum fee deadline, new mandatory editions of Forms I-485, I-539, and I-765, where the $100,000 H-1B fee stands right now, the new public charge rule, and why your family needs a will now, not after your case is resolved.

09/19/2026

If you or a loved one has a DUI or drug conviction, finishing court-ordered classes or probation may not be enough for immigration authorities. This new article explains why immigration judges and USCIS often require a much broader record to overcome these convictions — and what types of evidence can help your case. Read more: https://wix.to/BBHCybI

Finishing the alcohol education class, drug counseling, or probation-ordered testing that a criminal court required is usually just the legal minimum, and immigration judges and USCIS officers generally treat it as exactly that: the minimum, not proof that someone has changed. If a DUI, a drug offen...

09/17/2026

New DHS rule: children born in the U.S. to foreign government employees on/after Sept 4, 2026 may now have a direct path to a green card. If your child was born under these circumstances, learn what the interim final rule means and what steps to take next. Read the full article: https://wix.to/OscmcSk

If you work for a foreign embassy, consulate, or an international organization in the United States and your child was born here on or after September 4, 2026, that child may not be a U.S. citizen even though they were born on U.S. soil, but a new Department of Homeland Security rule now gives many....

09/06/2026