Pillar Immigration Services, PLLC

07/17/2026

On July 16, 2026, USCIS announced a final rule rescinding the 2022 regulation on public charge determinations, which instructed USCIS officers to consider specific public benefits when determining whether an applicant is likely to become a public charge. The updated framework goes into effect nationwide on September 18, 2026, giving USCIS officers broader discretion to determine if an applicant is likely to become dependent on government assistance. USCIS officers will no longer be limited to considering cash benefits. They are now empowered to evaluate a totality of circumstances, including an applicant's age, health, family status, education, skills, and past use of any taxpayer-funded benefits such as food stamps, Medicaid, or housing assistance.

07/17/2026

Today, July 17, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the publication of a final rule that officially eliminates the “duration of status” admission period for individuals in the F (academic student), J (exchange visitor), and I (foreign information media representative) classifications to a fixed period of admission. These visa holders will now will be admitted for the length of their specific program, not to exceed a maximum period of four years.

07/09/2026

On July 8, 2026, a federal judge ordered USCIS to resume processing I-765 employment authorization applications for noncitizens affected by a policy that had frozen applications from individuals from 39 “high-risk” countries. The court found that USCIS has a duty to adjudicate immigration benefit applications within a reasonable period of time and that the agency’s policy memo could be challenged under the Administrative Procedure Act. The ruling affects applicants who rely on employment authorization, including asylum seekers, foreign students, green card applicants, and other eligible noncitizens whose I-765 applications had been placed on hold.

06/27/2026

On May 11, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published an Interim Final Rule (IFR) which will be effective July 10, 2026 and provides that if U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) accepts a benefit request and later determines that the request lacks a valid signature, USCIS may, in its discretion, reject or deny the filing.

Although the requirement for a valid signature is not new, the IFR materially increases the consequences of noncompliance and codifies USCIS’s authority to take adverse action at any point in the adjudication process. The rule reflects the agency’s stated concern regarding an increase in filings containing invalid or questionable signatures and its intent to strengthen enforcement and standardize adjudication practices.

If you are filing for a benefit without the assistance of an attorney, make sure to check signature requirements before filing.

A. Signature RequirementUSCIS requires a valid signature on applications, petitions, requests, and certain other documents filed with USCIS.

06/27/2026

The NBC News reports that immigrant advocacy and legal aid organizations have sued ICE and USCIS over “severe delays” in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) renewal processing, alleging that delayed adjudications are causing recipients to lose jobs and work authorization as their status lapses. The complaint, filed in the Northern District of California, seeks information on renewal policies, current average processing times, and length of processing after the agencies allegedly failed to respond by a June 5 deadline.

DACA recipients are pushing to get answers about the government’s delays in approving DACA renewals, which have led recipients to lose work permits and their jobs.

06/24/2026

USCIS published a notice of proposed rulemaking that would significantly increase filing fees for naturalization and related review processes. Under the proposal, the fee for Form N-400 would increase from $760 for paper filings ($710 online) to $1,330 for paper filings ($1,280 online). The fee for Form N-336 would increase from $830 for paper filings ($780 online) to $1,475 for paper filings ($1,425 online). The proposal would also eliminate most fee waivers and reduced-fee options for these filings. Public comments are due by August 24, 2026.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposes to adjust the fees that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) charges for Form N-400, and Form N-336, to end both the reduced fee option for Form N-400, and the availability of fee waivers for both forms. Current and former armed...

05/22/2026

On 5/21/26, USCIS issued a policy memo asserting that adjustment of status under section 245 of the INA is a matter of discretion and administrative grace not designed to supersede the regular consular processing of immigrant visas. The memo instructs adjudicators to assess each case under a totality‑of‑the‑circumstances framework, weigh all favorable and adverse factors, and approve only where the applicant’s equities justify a favorable exercise of discretion. In a press release, USCIS spokesperson Zach Kahler stated, “From now on, an alien who is in the U.S. temporarily and wants a Green Card must return to their home country to apply, except in extraordinary circumstances.” If you are looking to file for adjustment of status, it is important now more than ever to at least consult with an immigration attorney PRIOR TO filing. Pillar Immigration Services offers a free 30-minute consultation which you can schedule on

Welcome Page for Pillar Immigration Services to the USA, An Online Service To help you, wherever you are in the world.

03/04/2026

Fake immigration attorney scams are on the rise.
One thing this article does not mention is that anyone can easily verify whether an attorney is licensed to practice law. Every state has a public database where you can check if a lawyer is licensed, whether their license is active, inactive, or retired, and whether they have any disciplinary history.

It is also important to know that attorneys who practice federal law, such as immigration law, only need to be actively licensed in one U.S. state to represent clients anywhere in the country.

Before hiring someone to handle your immigration case, take a few minutes to verify that they are a licensed attorney.

Below is a state-by-state list of the primary organization you would contact or search to verify an attorney’s license.

State-by-State Attorney License Verification
A

Alabama — Alabama State Bar

Alaska — Alaska Bar Association

Arizona — State Bar of Arizona

Arkansas — Arkansas Judiciary / Office of Professional Conduct

C

California — State Bar of California

Colorado — Colorado Supreme Court, Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel

Connecticut — Connecticut Judicial Branch Attorney Lookup

Delaware — Delaware Supreme Court, Office of Disciplinary Counsel

D

District of Columbia — District of Columbia Bar

F

Florida — The Florida Bar (Lawyer Directory)

G

Georgia — State Bar of Georgia

H

Hawaii — Hawaii State Bar Association

I

Idaho — Idaho State Bar

Illinois — Illinois Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission (ARDC)

Indiana — Indiana Roll of Attorneys

Iowa — Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Disciplinary Board

K

Kansas — Kansas Supreme Court Attorney Registration

Kentucky — Kentucky Bar Association

L

Louisiana — Louisiana State Bar Association

M

Maine — Maine Board of Overseers of the Bar

Maryland — Maryland Judiciary Attorney Listing

Massachusetts — Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers

Michigan — State Bar of Michigan Attorney Search

Minnesota — Minnesota Judicial Branch Lawyer Search

Mississippi — Mississippi Bar

Missouri — Missouri Supreme Court Attorney Search

N

Montana — State Bar of Montana

Nebraska — Nebraska State Bar Association Attorney Directory

Nevada — State Bar of Nevada

New Hampshire — New Hampshire Bar Association

New Jersey — New Jersey Courts Attorney Search

New Mexico — State Bar of New Mexico

New York — New York Unified Court System Attorney Search

North Carolina — North Carolina State Bar Member Directory

North Dakota — North Dakota Supreme Court Attorney Lookup

O

Ohio — Supreme Court of Ohio Attorney Directory

Oklahoma — Oklahoma Bar Association

Oregon — Oregon State Bar

P

Pennsylvania — Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

Rhode Island — Rhode Island Judiciary Attorney Search

S

South Carolina — South Carolina Bar / Supreme Court Attorney Search

South Dakota — South Dakota Unified Judicial System Attorney Search

T

Tennessee — Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility

Texas — State Bar of Texas Attorney Lookup

U

Utah — Utah State Bar

V

Vermont — Vermont Judiciary Attorney Licensing

Virginia — Virginia State Bar

W

Washington — Washington State Bar Association

West Virginia — West Virginia State Bar

Wisconsin — State Bar of Wisconsin Lawyer Search

Wyoming — Wyoming State Bar

What these databases usually show

When you search an attorney, you can typically see:

Active / inactive status

Bar number

Admission date

Discipline history

Contact information

These official bar directories are the most reliable way to confirm whether an attorney is licensed and in good standing.

https://www.nola.com/news/crime_police/immigration-attorney-scam-louisiana/article_707b6036-3ebd-4a76-af5e-9e4f60829a95.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawQUf0lleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeQRaKqXSguS-yBWYNA4z_rURiqNanQ1_wvcTuAhgEWSPzktkcDjFzhvIbZM0_aem_Z9GAfCO37i3ljA2uNCb0Ig

Authorities across the country say similar immigration scams are on the rise.

01/15/2026

On January 14, 2026, the State Department said Wednesday it will suspend the processing of immigrant visas (i.e. at consular posts abroad) for citizens of 75 countries: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Congo, Cuba, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan and Yemen. No further details on the duration of the pause have been provided yet.

12/23/2025

On December 19, 2025, USCIS issued Policy Memo PM-602-0193 placing an immediate hold on all adjustment of status, ancillary benefits, and associated waiver applications for Diversity Visa (DV) Program applicants. The memo also directs a comprehensive review of the program’s policies and procedures.