Dear colleagues, I would like to bring to your attention an emerging risk of airport detentions involving foreign nationals traveling on domestic flights. Reports from immigration attorneys indicate a growing number of foreign nationals have been detained by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) at U.S. airports during domestic travel, even when they had pending immigration…
Today, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officially published a Final Rule in the Federal Register that will change how F-1 students, J-1 exchange visitors, and their dependents are admitted to and maintain lawful status in the United States. Under the new rule, individuals will no longer be admitted for “duration of status” (D/S). Instead, their authorized period…
Today, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officially published a Final Rule in the Federal Register that will change how F-1 students, J-1 exchange visitors, and their dependents are admitted to and maintain lawful status in the United States. Although the Final Rule has now been published, it will not take effect until September 15, 2026, following a…
Overview The University of Pennsylvania’s International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) ismonitoring significant developments involving a recent federal court decision affectingcertain U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) adjudication policies. On June 5, 2026, Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the Districtof Rhode Island ruled that four USCIS policies were…
This advisory updates Penn’s June 9, 2026 guidance regarding recent litigation involving the $100,000 supplemental fee imposed on certain H-1B petitions under Presidential Proclamation 10973. Summary of Recent Developments: On June 8, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts ruled that the $100,000 supplemental H-1B fee was unlawful and vacated the policy…
ISSS is providing the Penn community with guidance regarding a significantfederal court decision affecting the H-1B visa program. On June 8, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusettsinvalidated the Department of Homeland Security’s implementation of the$100,000 supplemental fee that had been imposed on certain H-1B petitionspursuant to Presidential Proclamation 10973. The court…
On May 22, 2026, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an amended temporary order suspending entry into the United States for certain non-U.S. persons who have departed from, or were physically present in, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan within the previous 21 days. The order is related…
On May 21, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a policy memorandum (PM-602-0199) reframing adjustment of status and green card procedures within the United States. International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) has been closely monitoring this development since its release. Based on our initial review, this represents a significant and concerning shift in…
Penn proudly welcomes students and scholars from around the world, and our academic community is more rigorous, ingenious, and excellent for this dynamic exchange. I recently returned from a trip to Asia including Singapore and South Korea—home to our fifth-largest international alumni community—where I reinforced a core principle of our University’s mission: bringing the world…
Effective December 2, 2025 and January 1, 2026, USCIS has shared two policy memoranda that may affect processing times for certain pending immigration benefit applications. What USCIS announced USCIS has directed its officers to place an adjudicative “hold” on final decisions for certain pending immigration benefit requests connected to individuals from designated “high-risk” countries while…