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• Premium Processing Fees Increase Effective March 1
• Temporary Protected Status Updates for Ethiopia, Haiti and Yemen
• Massachusetts Court Blocks ICE Enforcement at Certain Churches

Premium Processing Fees Increase Effective March 1

USCIS has announced that premium processing fees will increase effective March 1, 2026. The fee for Form I-140 petitions and most Form I-129 petitions will rise to $2,965 (up from $2,805), with corresponding increases for certain other eligible forms.

The new fees apply to filings postmarked on or after March 1, 2026. Employers planning time-sensitive filings should account for the higher cost when preparing budgets and securing internal approvals.

Impact: Employers using premium processing for H-1B, L-1, O-1, TN, or I-140 filings should adjust cost projections and confirm filing timelines to avoid last-minute budget or processing disruptions.

Temporary Protected Status Updates for Ethiopia, Haiti and Yemen

Recent court rulings and agency updates have created important developments for TPS beneficiaries from Ethiopia, Haiti, and Yemen, affecting work authorization and employer compliance obligations.

Ethiopia: DHS announced termination of TPS effective February 13, 2026, but a federal court in African Communities Together et al. v. Noem et al. stayed the decision. USCIS has confirmed that certain EADs issued under Ethiopia’s TPS designation (with original expiration dates of June 12, 2024 and December 12, 2025) are extended per court order. Employers should retain a copy of the USCIS webpage with the Form I-9 and annotate the extension in the Additional Information field.

Haiti :A federal court in Fritz Emmanuel Lesly Miot, et al. v. Trump, et al. stayed the termination of Haiti’s TPS designation, indefinitely postponing the program’s end. USCIS has recognized the automatic extension of EADs issued under Haiti TPS. E-Verify guidance instructs employers to enter “March 15, 2026” as the expiration date in Section 2 (or Supplement B) and when creating E-Verify cases, while noting the extension is “per court order” in Section 1.

Yemen: DHS has announced its intent to terminate TPS for Yemen, but as of this writing, the Federal Register notice has not yet been published. TPS benefits will end 60 days after publication, absent further litigation.

Impact: Employers should carefully review Form I-9 records for affected employees, document court-ordered EAD extensions where applicable, follow updated E-Verify instructions, and closely monitor USCIS and Federal Register announcements. Proactive compliance review and clear employee communication are strongly recommended to mitigate workforce disruption and risk.

Massachusetts Court Blocks ICE Enforcement at Certain Churches

A federal judge in Massachusetts issued a preliminary injunction limiting ICE enforcement actions at certain churches involved in ongoing litigation. The court found that while immigration enforcement serves an important government interest, it must not infringe upon constitutional protections, including the free exercise of religion.

The ruling applies only to the parties in the case and does not create a nationwide restriction but reflects continued judicial scrutiny of enforcement activity at sensitive locations.

Impact: Faith-based organizations and nonprofit employers should monitor developments and ensure they have clear internal protocols in place should enforcement activity arise.