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WR Immigration News Digest

Jun 12, 2025 | Immigration Updates

Court Temporarily Blocks Visa Ban on Harvard Students

On June 5, 2025, a federal judge paused the Trump administration’s effort to block F, M, and J visas for new Harvard international students, following a proclamation that cited national security concerns. The directive had ordered U.S. embassies to deny visas and consider revoking existing ones for current students—targeting only Harvard, not other U.S. schools.

Impact: This signals a shift toward institution-specific visa scrutiny, underscoring the need to monitor evolving policy risks and support foreign nationals pursuing education-based immigration paths.

DHS Launches Visa Overstay Crackdown After Colorado Attack

Following a high-profile incident involving a visa overstay, DHS announced on June 4, 2025, that it is intensifying enforcement efforts across CBP, ICE, and USCIS. The move follows the arrest of an Egyptian national who overstayed his visa and is accused of a violent attack in Colorado.

Impact: Expect heightened scrutiny of visa duration compliance, increased audits/site visits, and potential enforcement actions. Companies should proactively review employee status tracking, overstay risk protocols, and documentation procedures to ensure full compliance.

TPS for Nepal and Cameroon Ending in August

DHS has announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Nepal and Cameroon. TPS for Cameroon ends on August 4, 2025, and for Nepal on August 5, 2025, following official notices in the Federal Register. Affected individuals will no longer have protected status after these dates.

Impact: Employers should immediately assess work authorization status for impacted employees and advise on alternatives or departure planning. Proactive outreach and legal coordination are critical to avoid lapses in employment eligibility.

USCIS Proposes New Biographic and Employment Data Collection

USCIS is seeking public comments on a proposed expansion of biographic and employment-related identifiers on immigration forms, as part of Executive Order 14161 aimed at enhancing national security screening. The data would be used to validate identity, assess benefit eligibility, and flag potential security risks.

Impact: The proposed changes introduce more detailed data requirements in immigration filings, requiring greater support for employee background and employment history disclosures.  It may also delay processing times of petitons and applications submitted to USCIS.

Washington Bans Immigration-Based Workplace Coercion

Starting July 1, 2025, Washington employers are prohibited from using an employee’s or their family member’s immigration status to threaten or deter them from asserting their rights related to wages or working conditions. Violations may trigger civil penalties and can be investigated independently by the Department of Labor & Industries.

Impact: In-house mobility and HR teams should review workplace policies, ensure compliant manager training, and reinforce protections for foreign national employees to report concerns without fear of immigration-related retaliation.

SSA Halts Automatic SSN Issuance for EAD Holders

Effective March 19, 2025, the Social Security Administration paused automatic SSN issuance for work-authorized immigrants and newly naturalized citizens. Affected individuals must now apply in person at SSA offices, creating delays in employment eligibility, banking access, and driver’s license applications. The pause, currently under a 90-day review, adds pressure to already understaffed field offices and disrupts onboarding timelines for employers.

Impact: This change may significantly delay new hires’ ability to begin work if a Social Security Number is necessary for background checks, complete background checks, or access essential services.  It is important to note that if an individual has valid employment authorization their commencement of work cannot be delayed solely for not yet having received a Social Security Number. In-house mobility and HR teams should update onboarding protocols, communicate the new requirements to affected employees early, and provide guidance on navigating in-person SSA appointments.

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Immigration Update

In this edition, find the latest news on DOS Managing Regional Migration, USCIS Temporary Suspensions of Biometrics and more! DHS, DOS Announce New Actions to Manage Regional Migration On April 27, 2023, the Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and State (DOS) announced new measures “to further reduce unlawful migration across the Western Hemisphere, significantly expand lawful pathways for protection, and facilitate the safe, orderly, and humane processing of migrants.” DHS said the measures will be implemented “in close coordination with regional partners, including the governments of Mexico, Canada, Spain, Colombia, and Guatemala.”  DHS noted that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) temporary Title 42 public health order will lift at 11:59 p.m. on May 11, 2023, and that the United States will return to Title 8 immigration authorities at that time. Individuals who cross into the United States at the southwest border without authorization or having used a lawful pathway, and without having scheduled a time to arrive at a port of entry, would be presumed ineligible for asylum under a new proposed regulation, absent an applicable exception.  The measures announced on April 27, 2023, include imposing stiffer consequences for failing to use lawful pathways; humanely managing migration […]

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Supreme Court Decision on Birthright Citizenship

The Supreme Court issued an important decision today in cases challenging President Trump’s Executive Order on birthright citizenship. The Court limited its decision to federal courts’ ability to issue nationwide injunctions, allowing the government to move forward with implementation of the Order, but leaving open the possibility of legal challenges to the Order and its implementation. Justice Amy Coney Barrett authored the majority opinion, which did not address whether President Trump’s executive order on birthright citizenship is constitutional. The Court focused its decision on the procedures federal courts must follow, and the orders federal courts can issue, when states and citizens challenge actions of the federal government. The Court’s decision today means there will be continuing and evolving legal challenges to the birthright citizenship order in the federal courts. Nationwide Injunctions Generally, the Court limited federal courts’ ability to issue nationwide injunctions to executive orders and broad national policies. It explained that courts should normally only block federal policies for the individuals or organizations that bring a lawsuit, unless a statute or class action process allows broader relief. This ruling makes it less likely that a single lawsuit will be able to stop a federal policy from taking effect across the entire country. […]

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