Immigration

  • February 12, 2026

    Senate Recess To Trigger Partial DHS Shutdown This Weekend

    The Senate left town on Thursday ahead of their recess, virtually ensuring the U.S. Department of Homeland Security will shut down at midnight on Friday.

  • February 12, 2026

    2nd Circ. Declines To Block TRO On Gateway Tunnel Project

    Federal funding for the $16 billion Gateway Tunnel project must resume flowing — at least for now — after the Second Circuit declined on Thursday to pause a district court order requiring the Trump administration to lift its freeze on reimbursements to New York and New Jersey.

  • February 12, 2026

    NYC Politician Lander Gets Trial Date Over ICE Scuffle

    A Manhattan federal judge set a May trial date Thursday for former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander to adjudicate a ticket he received for allegedly obstructing Immigration and Customs Enforcement as he monitored proceedings at a building where immigrants have been detained.

  • February 12, 2026

    Judge Boasberg Orders DHS To Return Deported Venezuelans

    U.S. District Judge James Boasberg instructed the Trump administration Thursday to facilitate the return of Venezuelan nationals it deported in March under the Alien Enemies Act in violation of his earlier order barring their removal so they can pursue their habeas claims.

  • February 11, 2026

    9th Circ. Won't Rethink GEO Wash. Detention Law Decision

    A split Ninth Circuit spurned a bid from GEO Group on Wednesday for the full court to revisit a panel opinion siding with Washington state in the company's challenge of new health and safety standards for immigrant detention, with dissenting federal appellate judges contending that the earlier ruling "ignores both our circuit precedent and common sense."

  • February 11, 2026

    Paxton Topples U.S. Senate Seat Rival's Work License Rule

    Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said this week that state agencies must require applicants to provide Social Security numbers when applying for occupational licenses, saying it's been "unambiguously" required under state law for more than 30 years.

  • February 11, 2026

    'Unflappable' Mass. Judge Emerges As Trump Foil

    The newest member of the Massachusetts federal bench has made a name for himself as a thorn in the side of the Trump administration, a perception that stands in stark contrast to what friends and former colleagues describe as an unassuming and open-minded judge.

  • February 11, 2026

    Calif. Atty Faces Possible Sanctions Over Bogus Citations

    A California federal judge has ordered an attorney to show cause as to why he shouldn't face sanctions over bogus case citations in an immigration case.

  • February 11, 2026

    4th Circ. Won't Toss Appeal Over Md. Judges' Habeas Order

    The Fourth Circuit rejected the Trump administration's assertion that its appeal of a ruling upholding a standing order, which Maryland federal judges issued to temporarily delay the removal of detained noncitizens who file habeas petitions, has become moot.

  • February 10, 2026

    Fla. US Attys Push Back Against Sanctions In Habeas Case

    The U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Florida and an assistant U.S. attorney have urged an Orlando federal judge not to sanction them for the government's response to a noncitizen's habeas petition, saying any shortcomings were an "unintentional oversight."

  • February 10, 2026

    Colony Ridge To Pay $68M To End DOJ, Texas Lending Case

    Houston-area developer Colony Ridge will pay $68 million to settle with the U.S. government and state of Texas over claims that it targeted Hispanic consumers with predatory land sales and financing, the U.S. Department of Justice said Tuesday.

  • February 10, 2026

    Circuit Split Brewing Following 5th Circ.'s No-Bond Ruling

    The Fifth Circuit's split ruling blessing the Trump administration's mandatory immigration detention policy won't be the final say on the matter, but it could supercharge efforts to concentrate detained immigrants there while other circuits weigh the policy's legality.

  • February 10, 2026

    Trump Is Owed Deference On Harvard Student Block, DOJ Says

    The U.S. Department of Justice told the First Circuit this week that President Donald Trump's expansive authority over foreign affairs calls for it to overturn a ruling that blocked a proclamation suspending the ability of foreign students to enter the country to attend Harvard.

  • February 10, 2026

    9th Circ. Says DHS Likely To Beat TPS Termination Challenge

    The Ninth Circuit has hit pause on a district court's order that vacated the Trump administration's termination of temporary protected status for immigrants from Honduras, Nicaragua and Nepal, saying the administration will likely succeed on challenging the vacatur order.

  • February 10, 2026

    Judge Questions Timing Of Case Against Harvard Researcher

    A Massachusetts federal judge on Tuesday ordered the U.S. Attorney's Office to turn over materials related to its decision to prosecute a Harvard Medical School researcher and Russian national found with inert frog embryo specimens last year at Logan Airport, calling the timing of the case "a red flag."

  • February 10, 2026

    Trump Admin Appeals Limits On Protester Deportations

    The Trump administration has appealed a Massachusetts federal judge's order restricting its ability to deport noncitizen university professors and students who engaged in pro-Palestinian advocacy, arguing the sanctions went beyond the judge's power.

  • February 10, 2026

    Minn. Judge Won't End TRO Over DHS Refugee Detentions

    The Trump administration must continue to refrain from arresting and detaining refugees in Minnesota who haven't yet secured permanent resident status, a Minnesota federal court has ruled, finding no support in the Immigration and Nationality Act for their mandatory detention.

  • February 10, 2026

    Calif. Judge Blocks State's Push To Unmask Federal Agents

    A California federal judge granted the Trump administration's push to block part of a new Golden State law requiring federal agents to stop hiding their faces behind masks, but said another law requiring them to display identification can take effect.

  • February 09, 2026

    Immigration Judge Ends Tufts Student's Removal Proceeding

    Tufts University graduate student Rümeysa Öztürk is no longer subject to removal proceedings, after an immigration judge ruled that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security had not shown that she should be deported, her lawyers said Monday.

  • February 09, 2026

    ICE Ordered To Release Iraqi Refugee Under Settlement Terms

    U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement must release an Iraqi refugee who has been in immigration detention since last July, a special master in Michigan federal court ordered Monday, saying the refugee's continued detention flouted a class action settlement agreement.

  • February 09, 2026

    Judge Presses Gov't On Objections To Alien Enemies Act Relief

    A D.C. federal judge grappled Monday with what relief he can grant to Venezuelans the Trump administration deported under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, including whether the government must return the men, provide remote hearings or let them contest their alleged gang membership.

  • February 09, 2026

    Demobilization Moots Ill.'s National Guard Suit, Trump Says

    The Trump administration has urged a federal judge to permanently toss Illinois' lawsuit looking to halt any National Guard deployment to the state, arguing the case is moot now that all the troops have been demobilized or withdrawn and the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled the president can't federalize the guard to aid in immigration enforcement.

  • February 09, 2026

    9th Circ. Revives Immigration Case Due To Traffic Delays

    An en banc Ninth Circuit panel has ordered the Board of Immigration Appeals to reconsider whether a family's failure to appear at a hearing due to traffic delays doomed their asylum case, finding no concrete rule for what constitutes "exceptional circumstances."

  • February 09, 2026

    Texas, Mo. Ask Court To Keep 'Remain In Mexico' Suit Intact

    Texas and Missouri claimed they have standing to challenge a Biden-era decision to do away with the "Remain in Mexico" policy, telling a Texas federal judge Friday that vacatur of the last administration's decision is appropriate even though the Trump administration reinstated the policy.

  • February 09, 2026

    States Seek Quick Win On $100K H-1B Fee 'Power-Grab'

    A group of 20 states asked a Massachusetts federal judge for a win in their challenge to the Trump administration's policy imposing a $100,000 fee on certain H-1B visa petitions, arguing the measure unlawfully rewrites Congress' carefully calibrated immigration scheme and exceeds executive authority.

promo for immigration policy tracker that says tracking changes in immigration policy

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Educating Your Community

    Author Photo

    Nearly two decades prosecuting scammers and elder fraud taught me that proactively educating the public about the risks they face and the rights they possess is essential to building trust within our communities, empowering otherwise vulnerable citizens and preventing wrongdoers from gaining a foothold, says Roger Handberg at GrayRobinson.

  • Federal Grantees May Soon Face More Limitations On Speech

    Author Photo

    If courts accept the administration’s new interpretation of preexisting case law, which attempts to graft onto grant recipients the existing limitations on government contractors' free speech, a more deferential standard may soon apply in determining whether an agency’s refusal or termination of a grant was in violation of the First Amendment, say attorneys at Venable.

  • 5 Crisis Lawyering Skills For An Age Of Uncertainty

    Author Photo

    As attorneys increasingly face unprecedented and pervasive situations — from prosecutions of law enforcement officials to executive orders targeting law firms — they must develop several essential competencies of effective crisis lawyering, says Ray Brescia at Albany Law School.

  • Opinion

    It's Time For The Judiciary To Fix Its Cybersecurity Problem

    Author Photo

    After recent reports that hackers have once again infiltrated federal courts’ electronic case management systems, the judiciary should strengthen its cybersecurity practices in line with executive branch standards, outlining clear roles and responsibilities for execution, says Ilona Cohen at HackerOne.

  • Series

    Writing Novels Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Writing my debut novel taught me to appreciate the value of critique and to never give up, no matter how long or tedious the journey, providing me with valuable skills that I now emphasize in my practice, says Daniel Buzzetta at BakerHostetler.

  • SDNY OpenAI Order Clarifies Preservation Standards For AI

    Author Photo

    The Southern District of New York’s recent order in the OpenAI copyright infringement litigation, denying discovery of The New York Times' artificial intelligence technology use, clarifies that traditional preservation benchmarks apply to AI content, relieving organizations from using a “keep everything” approach, says Philip Favro at Favro Law.

  • Opinion

    High Court, Not A Single Justice, Should Decide On Recusal

    Author Photo

    As public trust in the U.S. Supreme Court continues to decline, the court should adopt a collegial framework in which all justices decide questions of recusal together — a reform that respects both judicial independence and due process for litigants, say Michael Broyde at Emory University and Hayden Hall at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.

  • Series

    Traveling Solo Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Traveling by myself has taught me to assess risk, understand tone and stay calm in high-pressure situations, which are not only useful life skills, but the foundation of how I support my clients, says Lacey Gutierrez at Group Five Legal.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Client Service

    Author Photo

    Law school teaches you how to interpret the law, but it doesn't teach you some of the key ways to keeping clients satisfied, lessons that I've learned in the most unexpected of places: a book on how to be a butler, says Gregory Ramos at Armstrong Teasdale.

  • How DHS' H-1B Proposal May Affect Hiring, Strategic Planning

    Author Photo

    For employers, DHS’ proposal to change the H-1B visa lottery from a random selection process to one favoring higher-wage workers may increase labor and compliance costs, limit access to entry-level international talent, and raise strategic questions about compensation, geography and long-term workforce planning, says Ian MacDonald at Greenberg Traurig.

  • Bid Protest Spotlight: Documentation, Overrides, Eligibility

    Author Photo

    Recent decisions by the U.S. Court of Federal Claims and the U.S. Government Accountability Office illustrate the importance of contemporaneous documentation in proposal evaluations, the standards for an agency’s override of a Competition in Contracting Act stay, and the regulatory requirements for small business joint ventures, says Cody Fisher at MoFo.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: 3 Tips On Finding The Right Job

    Author Photo

    After 23 years as a state and federal prosecutor, when I contemplated moving to a law firm, practicing solo or going in-house, I found there's a critical first step — deep self-reflection on what you truly want to do and where your strengths lie, says Rachael Jones at McKool Smith.

  • Series

    Painting Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Painting trains me to see both the fine detail and the whole composition at once, enabling me to identify friction points while keeping sight of a client's bigger vision, but the most significant lesson I've brought to my legal work has been the value of originality, says Jana Gouchev at Gouchev Law.

  • H-2A Rule Rollback Sheds Light On 2 Policy Litigation Issues

    Author Photo

    The Trump administration’s recent refusal to defend an immigration regulation implemented by the Biden administration highlights a questionable process that both parties have used to bypass the Administrative Procedure Act’s rulemaking process, and points toward the next step in the fight over universal injunctions, says Mark Stevens at Clark Hill.

  • What The New Nondomiciled-Trucker Rule Means For Carriers

    Author Photo

    A new Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration interim final rule restricting states' issuance of commercial drivers licenses to nondomiciled drivers does not alter motor carriers' obligations to verify drivers' qualifications, but may create disruptions by reducing the number of eligible drivers, say attorneys at Benesch.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here
Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the Immigration archive.