Legal Updates

A new fact sheet indicates a change in policy that increases the risks for employers by reclassifying some former technical violations as substantive.

The Department of State’s Visa Bulletin for May notes that dates for filing and final action dates have been advanced across various immigrant visa categories, and that sufficient demand and increased number use by India in the EB-5 unreserved visa categories may make it necessary to retrogress the final action date or make the category unavailable.

The Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements and E-Verify programs recently updated guidance on Employment Authorization Document validity in light of court orders affecting Temporary Protected Status for South Sudan, Ethiopia, Burma, Somalia, Haiti and Syria, superseding earlier notices on the terminations of TPS for those countries.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services outlined a series of actions it has implemented to screen and vet foreign nationals after issuance of related policy memoranda.

This article builds on the initial discussion of Section 1202 of the Internal Revenue Code following enactment of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and focuses specifically on how Qualified Small Business Stock considerations arise in mergers and acquisitions, particularly in acquisition driven models such as search funds.

The Wisconsin Public Service Commission will consider the first utility rate for new large customers, including data centers, at its upcoming open meeting on April 24, 2026.

On April 6, 2026, the Department of Labor released an update that affects H-2A and H-2B employers.

The Department of Labor released a long-anticipated proposed rule that could significantly reshape prevailing wage requirements for H-1B, PERM and related programs.

Effective March 30, the agency will expand its “online presence review” to include applicants in additional nonimmigrant visa classifications: all A-3, C-3 (if a domestic worker), G-5, H-3, H-4 dependents of H-3, K-1, K-2, K-3, Q, R-1, R-2, S, T, and U classifications. These are in addition to H-1B applicants and their dependents, and the F, M, and J student and exchange visitor visa applicants already subject to social media review.

The new amendments require a Diversity Visa petitioner to provide valid, unexpired passport information and to upload a scan of the biographic and signature page in the electronic entry form or to otherwise indicate that the applicant is exempt.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said that if a Temporary Protected Status beneficiary presents a TPS-based Employment Authorization Document and timely filed a renewal application that was pending on or filed after July 22, 2025, but before October 30, 2025, their automatic extension is limited to one year or the duration of TPS, whichever is shorter.

In response to recent court orders, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements program and E-Verify released updates on Temporary Protected Status for Burma, Ethiopia, Haiti, South Sudan, and Syria.

As instability spreads across the Middle East amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, the Alliance of Business Immigration Attorneys has provided tips for employers and travelers.

The Trump administration is widely expected to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.

The Department of Homeland Security published a notice terminating the Temporary Protected Status designation for Yemen effective May 4, 2026.

USCIS announced on March 20, 2026, that it had reached the H-2B Statutory cap for the second half of the fiscal year 2026, and the last day to file was March 10, 2026. This means that the statutory cap has been filled, and we are now able to apply for supplemental visas.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour division announced on February 27, 2026, a proposed rule to determine whether a worker should be classified as an employee or independent contractor under the Fair Labor Standards Act and related federal laws.

Searchers evaluating U.S. targets should pay close attention to Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) under Section 1202 of the Internal Revenue Code, which can allow shareholders to exclude up to 100% of capital gains on eligible shares held for more than five years.

Protecting privileged information is critical and significant in litigation and the task of doing so can be complex and burdensome with the volume of ESI parties need to review.

The initial registration period for the Fiscal Year 2027 H-1B cap will open at noon EST on March 4 and run through noon EST on March 19, 2026.

The Departments of Labor and Homeland Security plan to issue up to an additional 64,716 H-2B visas for this fiscal year.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem exceeded her statutory authority in her vacatur and termination of Venezuela’s Temporary Protected Status designation and her partial vacatur of Haiti’s TPS designation. The Ninth Circuit affirmed the district court’s setting aside of the Venezuelan vacatur and termination, and the Haitian partial vacatur.

The agencies said they will focus these additional H-2B visas on U.S. businesses with seasonal or temporary workforce needs in “critical infrastructure sectors of the U.S. economy, such as seafood, forestry, hospitality and tourism, transportation, and manufacturing.”

The Department of Homeland Security is technically in partial shutdown status, although certain operations are expected to continue, including most activities conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services fee-funded activities are also expected to continue during the shutdown.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has received enough petitions to reach the cap for the additional 18,490 H-2B visas made available under a temporary final rule for the first allocation of returning workers of Fiscal Year 2026 with start dates from January 1 to March 31, 2026.

Practitioners alerted the Department of State that its Travel Docs site erroneously stated that China was included among dozens of countries for which immigrant visa processing has been paused. DOS subsequently removed the statement from its website.

New reporting requirements under the Residential Real Estate Reporting Rule for certain real estate transfers went into effect on March 1, 2026. The core purpose of the Reporting Rule is to allow the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) to collect information about “Beneficial Owners” of entities acquiring residential real estate that fall under the Reporting Rule to assist with pursuing financial crimes including money laundering.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has revealed its long-awaited draft plans for how products with intentionally added per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances may continue to be sold, distributed or offered for sale in Minnesota after January 1, 2032.

2025 was a year of transition for the banking industry, with new agency leadership, downsizing of the bank regulatory agencies and neutering of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the rescission of regulations and guidance, a revised supervisory focus and framework, and significant changes to the payments system.

An employee stock ownership plan has long been used for succession planning and to reward and incentivize employees for their dedication and hard work. This article provides a brief overview of ESOPs and general information about how an ESOP might be used as an alternative for raising capital.

Like everything else in banking, shareholder succession planning comes with a regulatory asterisk. This article focuses on a short summary of key Federal Reserve requirements that impact shareholder succession planning.

The U.S. Department of State has released the March 2026 Visa Bulletin, which reflects notable forward movement across several employment-based categories compared to the February 2026 Visa Bulletin. These developments create meaningful new opportunities for many foreign nationals to file for adjustment of status.

On Friday, February 20, the Supreme Court of the United States overturned many of the tariffs added during President Trump’s second term (i.e., the IEEPA tariffs). Later that same day President Trump enacted new 10% tariffs under a different statutory authority, Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. The new tariffs were increased from 10% to 15% on Saturday.

Minnesota’s latest attempt to improve long‑criticized inefficiencies in processing environmental permit applications came in the form of an executive order signed by Governor Tim Walz on February 13, 2026.

As the chair of Fredrikson's AI Practice, the obvious marketing answer is, “yes, of course you do.” Setting aside the gimmicks, however, I have been asking myself this question in earnest lately, and have decided the answer is, in fact, yes, you do, for the various reasons outlined here.

Searchers should consider how to financially structure their search fund during both the search and acquisition stage to meet their business goals.

Federal agencies advanced a series of significant Clean Water Act rulemakings between November 2025 and January 2026 that affect the scope of federal jurisdiction over waters and wetlands, the role of states and tribes in water quality certification, and the availability of streamlined federal permits.

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to issue a landmark ruling shortly in the case V.O.S. Selections, Inc. v. Trump and related cases regarding the legality of tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. 

The announcement notes that the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division prioritizes investigations where employers may be displacing U.S. workers, failing to recruit U.S. workers in good faith, giving preference to H-1B workers when qualified U.S. workers are available, retaliating against workers who raise concerns about employers’ noncompliance, or misrepresenting job duties, requirements, or working conditions.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services released memoranda on “hold and release” policies and procedures for all pending asylum applications, USCIS benefit applications filed by individuals from “high-risk” countries and Diversity Visa adjustment-of-status applications.

The Department of State announced a temporary pause on the issuance of immigrant visas for nationals of 75 countries, effective January 21, 2026.

The Department of Homeland Security is terminating Somalia’s Temporary Protected Status designation, effective March 17, 2026.

The Department of Labor’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification reminded employers and other interested stakeholders that the filing window to submit an H-2B application requesting work start dates of April 1, 2026, or later, opened on January 1, 2026.

The Department of State released updated guidance on diversity visa issuance. The guidance notes that effective immediately, DOS has paused all visa issuances to diversity immigrant visa applicants. Applicants may still submit applications and attend interviews.

In Chamber of Commerce v. Department of Homeland Security, a district court has ruled in favor of the Department of Homeland Security, finding that imposition of a $100,000 fee for new H-1B applications and related actions were legal under a Presidential Proclamation.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is raising premium processing fees effective March 1, 2026.

All visa holders who have posted a visa bond must enter and exit the United States through designated ports of entry.

The Department of Labor and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service announced a joint temporary rule implementing the process for employers who have a certified ETA 9142B with an employment start within FY 2026 (from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026) to apply for up to 64,716 additional H-2B visa numbers.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will soon announce the opening of the fiscal year 2027 H-1B Lottery. While we anticipate the lottery registration process will be similar to years past, USCIS announced it will place a greater weight on higher skilled, higher paid positions.

Due to the increased presence of immigration enforcement officers in the Twin Cities, and across the United States, it is our recommendation that when in public to carry with you documentation of your lawful immigration status.

The Departments of Labor and Homeland Security announced they will make an additional 35,000 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas available for Fiscal Year 2026, on top of the congressionally mandated 66,000 H-2B visas that are available each fiscal year.

Under the new process, instead of a random lottery, registrations for unique beneficiaries or petitions will be assigned to the relevant Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics wage level and entered into the selection pool on a weighted basis according to those levels.

The brief asks the judge to temporarily block a new Trump administration policy to charge new H-1B nonimmigrant visa applicants a $100,000 fee. Among other things, the states and other plaintiffs argue that the fee would exclude nonprofits and schools that are unable to afford hiring qualified H-1B workers.

The Trump administration plans to seek contractors to build seven large detention centers, including converted warehouses, to hold 5,000 to 10,000 detainees each, for a total of more than 80,000 detainees across the United States. Sixteen smaller processing facilities will hold up to 1,500 people each.

President Donald Trump issued a Presidential Proclamation expanding travel restrictions. The new proclamation applies to individuals who are outside of the United States as of January 1, 2026, and do not have a valid visa.

President Donald Trump suspended the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program following shootings at Brown University and of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor by a Portuguese national who immigrated to the United States in 2017 under that program.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced new guidance, effective immediately, limiting the age of foreign nationals’ photos that can be used to create immigration documents to a maximum of three years, with many exceptions. Certain forms will require a new photo, along with new biometrics, regardless of when an applicant’s or petitioner’s last photograph was taken.

The Department of State announced that it has updated its instructions for all nonimmigrant and immigrant visa applicants scheduling visa interview appointments.

The Department of Homeland Security is terminating the Temporary Protected Status designation for Ethiopia.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has posted a new form for the “Trump Gold Card” immigrant visa program. The program requires a minimum “contribution” of $1 million along with a hefty fee. The Trump administration also announced a “Trump Platinum Card,” coming soon, for which foreign nationals can join a waiting list.

The Department of Homeland Security is terminating all categorical family reunification parole programs for people from Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti and Honduras, and their immediate family members. DHS said it “is returning parole to a case-by-case basis.”

This newest expansion of the government’s online presence screening practices for foreign nationals applies to both new visa applications and renewals.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has reduced the maximum validity period for Employment Authorization Documents for certain categories. This update also incorporates changes to EAD validity periods made by recent legislation.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is establishing a new Vetting Center to be headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. USCIS said the center “will draw on the full spectrum of classified and nonclassified screening and vetting capabilities and provide a more thorough supplemental review of immigration applications and petitions.”

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services issued a memorandum ordering USCIS personnel to “hold and review” all pending asylum applications and all USCIS benefit applications filed by those from “high-risk countries.” The memo also calls for re-review and re-interview of certain applicants.

In a recent decision, the Arizona Supreme Court reversed long-standing precedent in finding that a lender who did not pursue a foreclosure of its mortgage within six years of the default on the underlying indebtedness lost its right to foreclose.

Employers are asking detailed, practical questions that go beyond initial coordination issues with the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). This article provides short answers to five high-impact Minnesota Paid Leave topics to guide policy, communications and day-to-day administration.

For aspiring entrepreneurs, understanding how capital is raised in a search fund is a key consideration to participate in the growing market.

On December 16, 2025, the White House issued a proclamation titled "Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States," significantly expanding existing travel and visa restrictions.

Employers must understand key distinctions between the federal Family and Medical Leave Act and the Minnesota Paid Family and Medical Leave Law—including coverage differences, eligibility rules and coordination requirements—as well as areas of overlap. 

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), in a December 8, 2025, State Register Notice, adopted the final version of its rules governing the reporting of products with intentionally added per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) sold, distributed or offered for sale in Minnesota.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services issued a memo on December 2, 2025, that instructs its personnel to pause, re-review and re-interview certain benefit requests of foreign nationals from 19 “high-risk” countries.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services reduced the maximum validity period of Employment Authorization Documents to 18 months for several categories of applicants on December 4, 2025.

The State Department will require an online presence review for all H-1B applicants and their dependents, effective December 15, 2025.

The Department of Homeland Security is terminating South Sudan’s designation for Temporary Protected Status, effective January 5, 2026.

Routine visa services have resumed after the federal government shutdown was ended after a record 43 days. Federal funding has been extended until January 30, 2026, but delays and backlogs remain.

The Department of State sent a cable to diplomatic and consular posts that greatly expands the public charge reasons for excluding visa applicants beyond the current requirements.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced increases in fees for certain benefits for Fiscal Year 2026.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is accepting payments only through Pay.gov for benefit requests filed electronically, with some exceptions.

E-Verify released an update related to work authorization, pursuant to a Supreme Court order allowing immediate termination of the 2023 Venezuela Temporary Protected Status designation.

After an Afghan asylum recipient shot two National Guardsmen, President Donald Trump called for a halt to asylum decisions, a "permanent pause" on "migration from all Third World Countries," and an indefinite pause on visas for Afghan nationals, along with reviewing those who were admitted under the Biden administration.

The termination of the Haiti Temporary Protected Status designation is effective February 3, 2026, and Burma's Temporary Protective Status termination is effective January 26, 2026.

Employers must carefully navigate eligibility, notice requirements and documentation when coordinating the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) with the Minnesota Paid Family and Medical Leave Law (MNPFML). While concurrent leave is oftentimes possible, compliance hinges on eligibility requirements, benefit-year alignment and appropriate communication to employees.

Following the U.S.-China trade talks in Malaysia and the meeting between Presidents Trump and Xi on October 30, 2025, in South Korea, the two countries have agreed to a series of mutual actions to reduce trade barriers between the U.S. and China starting from November 10, 2025.

Banks increasingly explore AI for efficiency and competitive advantage, often through third-party vendors. This means even banks that do not directly implement AI may face indirect risks from their vendors’ AI usage. As adoption grows, managing these risks becomes an important consideration for financial institutions.

In the complex and highly regulated world of banking, shareholder stability and continuity are essential to maintaining trust, operational integrity, and long-term growth. An effective tool a bank holding company can use to safeguard these principles is a well-crafted buy-sell agreement. This legal contract, which governs the transfer of ownership interests among shareholders, offers a range of strategic advantages that go far beyond mere succession planning.

Conflicts of interest often arise during shareholder succession planning because bankers hold multiple roles with differing priorities. These roles may include personal, professional and legally mandated responsibilities, which participants may not fully recognize. Transparency about these roles and their inherent conflicts is critical for successful transition planning.

The Minnesota Court of Appeals recently held that state agencies with approval authority over a project subject to the Minnesota Environmental Policy Act have standing to appeal the decision of the Responsible Government Unit to not issue an Environmental Impact Statement for the project.

There are five main stages in the search fund model: forming a search fund, searching for a target company, acquiring a target company, operating a target company to create value and exiting the investment.

The Internal Revenue Service has announced the 2026 cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for benefit plans.

A District of Minnesota Court recently dismissed Citizens for a Clean Environment, LLC’s lawsuit against a peat mine operator under the federal Clean Water Act’s citizen suit provision finding CCE lacked the requisite Article III standing to assert its claims.

On the basis of an August 2025 determination by the Minnesota State Fire Marshall, all airports in Minnesota must discontinue manufacture, sale, distribution, storage and use of PFAS-containing firefighting foams by January 1, 2026.

Pursuant to Minnesota’s Biosolids PFAS Strategy, all Minnesota wastewater treatment facilities that land-apply any amount of biosolids must, as of September 1, 2025, collect at least one biosolids sample per cropping year and analyze it for PFAS content before land-applying the biosolids. 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced additional guidance related to the Presidential Proclamation establishing a $100,000 fee for new H-1B petitions. Among other things, USCIS emphasized that petitions subject to the fee that are filed without evidence of payment or the grant of an exception will be denied.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said it will process H-1B, H-2A and H-2B-related Form I-129 petitions and CW-1-related Form I-129CW petitions during the federal government shutdown. If the petitioner documents that the shutdown was the primary reason for a delay in filing an extension of stay or change of status request, the agency will consider the government shutdown an “extraordinary circumstance beyond the petitioner’s control.”

The Kentucky Consular Center has registered and notified the selectees who are eligible to participate in the DV-2026 Diversity Visa program.

Effective November 1, 2025, immigrant visa applicants must be interviewed in the consular district designated for their place of residence, or in their country of nationality if requested, with limited exceptions.

The Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration can move forward with plans to terminate Temporary Protected Status for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans in the United States. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented.

The Trump administration plans to cut refugee admissions to a record low in 2026 and prioritize relief for certain groups like white Afrikaners from South Africa. The cap of 125,000 set under the Biden administration in 2024 is expected to be lowered to 7,500.

The cap is the lowest limit on refugee admissions since establishment of the United States' refugee program in 1980. The latest determination follows the admission in May 2025 of a group of 49 white Afrikaners into the United States as refugees. President Trump has accused the South African government of racial discrimination against Afrikaners, which that government has denied.

The rule does not affect the validity of Employment Authorization Documents that were automatically extended before October 30, 2025, or that are otherwise automatically extended by law or through a Federal Register notice, such as for Temporary Protected Status-related employment documentation.

As the federal government shutdown continues, Fredrikson is providing guidance regarding its impact on certain immigration petitions and processing issues.

The search fund model (search fund) was first created by Professor H. Irving Grousbeck at the Harvard Business School in 1984 to help students raise capital to purchase their first business. It is now one of the most attractive asset classes in private equity.

Under the Presidential Proclamation issued on September 19, 2025, certain H-1B petitions filed on or after 12:01 am EDT, September 21, 2025, must include a $100,000 payment as a condition of eligibility.

After a few months of relative quiet, China/U.S. export restrictions and sanctions jumped back onto the front pages of international media.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), on October 6, 2025, published its Notice of Adoption of rules it first proposed in November 2024 governing the reporting of air toxics in Minnesota’s seven-county metropolitan area. On that same day, Governor Tim Walz vetoed MPCA’s efforts to repeal emergency affirmative defenses that exist within MPCA’s air quality rules.

Minnesota’s Paid Leave Law, enacted in 2023 and updated in 2024, will provide paid leave benefits and job protections to most Minnesota employees for certain family, medical, safety and military-related needs starting January 1, 2026 — less than three short months away.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced updates to its guidance related to considering "anti-Americanism" in adjudications of immigrant benefits and expanding what constitutes "good moral character" for naturalization applicants.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested approximately 475 people during a raid on a Hyundai manufacturing plant outside of Savannah, Georgia. About 300 of those arrested were from South Korea.

The special agents' activities will include "making arrests, carrying firearms, executing search and arrest warrants, and other powers standard for federal law enforcement."

On September 5, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security announced the termination of the 2021 designation of Venezuela for Temporary Protected Status, effective 11:59 p.m. on November 7, 2025.

On September 6, 2025, the Department of State announced that nonimmigrant visa applicants generally must schedule their appointments at the U.S. embassy or consulate in their country of nationality or residence.

On September 19, 2025, the Trump Administration announced a plan for three new immigration pathways: the Trump Gold Card, the Trump Corporate Gold Card, and the forthcoming Trump Platinum Card.

In a major ruling for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans living in the U.S., the Ninth Circuit has upheld a district court decision restoring Venezuela’s 2023 Temporary Protected Status designation.

USCIS has announced the first changes in a planned multi-step overhaul of the naturalization process, reintroducing a revised civics test that will apply to applicants filing on or after October 20, 2025.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has announced that the quota for H-2B non-agricultural worker visas for the first half of fiscal year 2026 has been reached on September 12, 2025.

AILA reports an increase in Notices to Appear issued when an employer withdraws an H-1B petition, even when a change-of-employer or change-of-status petition has been timely filed within the grace period.

The October 2025 Visa Bulletin has been released, marking the start of a new fiscal year and a reset of annual visa limits.

For employers with foreign national workers, it is important to understand which immigration related functions may be affected in the event of a federal government shutdown. 

Following on the heels of President Trump’s issuance of a proclamation requiring a $100,000 fee for certain H-1B petitions where the worker is outside the United States, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services released a related frequently asked questions document, and other agencies released related guidance.

On September 19, 2025, the Department of Labor launched “Project Firewall,” to ensure that “employers prioritize qualified Americans when hiring workers and [hold] employers accountable if they abuse the H-1B visa process.”

On September 24, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security published a proposed rule to implement a “weighted selection” process for cap-subject H-1B petitions that “would generally favor the allocation of H-1B visas to higher skilled and higher paid aliens, while maintaining the opportunity for employers to secure H-1B workers at all wage levels.”

On September 19, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security announced that Temporary Protected Status for Syrians is terminated and affected Syrian nationals have 60 days to voluntarily depart the United States and return home.

Sora 2 from OpenAI has launched, but some guardrails should be in place before you create. 

The Commission’s September 16 Order clarifies acceptable CFS compliance credits, establishes how net market purchases may contribute to partial compliance without credit retirement, sets new annual CFS reporting requirements beginning in 2026, preserves the current credit-expiration framework for now and invites optional hourly matching sensitivities in resource plans.

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) changed clean energy tax incentive rules, extending them and tying their value to compliance with prevailing wage and apprenticeship (PWA) requirements during construction and operation of energy projects. Although PWA compliance is the ultimate responsibility of taxpayers, PWA requirements impose obligations on the construction companies that build the energy projects. As a result, owners of clean energy projects are pushing all PWA obligations down to their contractors, imposing steep consequences for noncompliance.

Because the legal safeguards we enjoy and the process for purchasing real estate differ substantially between the United States and Mexico, it is important to seek the advice and assistance of experienced real estate and legal consultants when venturing into the Mexican real estate market.

On September 19, 2025, President Trump signed a proclamation that significantly changes how the H-1B visa program works for foreign workers currently outside the U.S. These changes take effect at 12:01 a.m. EDT on September 21, 2025, and will remain in place for 12 months, unless extended.

The administrative law judge charged with reviewing the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s proposed intentionally added PFAS product reporting and fee rules has disapproved those rules on procedural and substantive grounds.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming a strategic priority for many organizations. If your company is using (or considering using) AI in human resources (HR), this article will walk you through the benefits, the legal landmines and the practical steps you can take to stay compliant.

Effective September 2, 2025, the categories of applicants who may be eligible for a waiver of the nonimmigrant visa interview will be updated. All nonimmigrant visa applicants generally will require an in-person interview with a consular officer, with a few exceptions.

Update: The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals declined to stay the lower court’s injunction, thus TPS benefits have now ended for Honduras and Nepal as of September 8, 2025.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement recently released an undated Non-Retaliation Policy Statement. The statement says that ICE is committed to upholding standards of fair regulatory enforcement practices.

The Department of State’s Visa Bulletin for September notes a “steady increase” in both U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and DOS demand patterns for employment-based visas.

The Department of Labor’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification released statistics on employer activities regarding prevailing wage determinations and labor certifications, and the H-2B foreign labor recruiter list.

The Department of State will require immigrant visa applicants to interview in the consular district designated for their place of residence, or in their country of nationality if requested, with limited exceptions.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has implemented a new way to pay fees using electronic debits from U.S. bank accounts and will stop accepting paper checks and money orders after October 28, 2025.

The Visa Navigator, which leads the user through a series of prompts, can be found on the relevant U.S. embassy or consulate’s website.

Department of State published a temporary final rule on August 5, 2025, announcing the start of a 12-month visa bond pilot program. As part of that pilot, DOS announced visa bonds on nationals of Malawi and Zambia coming to the United States on B-1/B-2 visas.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services issued a policy alert, effective immediately, to prevent trans women from entering the United States to participate in women’s sports.

In recent months, property managers and attorneys across Iowa have encountered increasing inconsistency in how magistrates handle proof of service for pre-eviction notices. While Iowa law does not explicitly require an affidavit of posting and mailing for notices such as the 3-Day Notice of Nonpayment of Rent, 3-Day Notice to Quit, or 7-Day Notice to Cure, some magistrates have begun routinely requiring them.

In Part One of this article series, we examined at a high level the importance of planning for shareholder succession for an organization that wishes to remain independent. In Part Two, we dig into the details.

Credit scores have steadily risen since their introduction in 1989. However, student loan defaults are now causing significant drops in credit scores. This trend could shrink the pool of creditworthy borrowers, disrupt banks’ long-term customer models, and push younger generations toward alternative financial services.

Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code provides a framework to allow a secured party to foreclose its security interest in personal property without judicial proceedings. Article 9 sales are important tools for secured parties to consider, but whether an Article 9 sale is the best option depends on the facts of each case.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed by President Donald Trump into law on July 4, 2025, contains several provisions that may impact an employer’s benefit plans. Many of these provisions take effect in 2026, and plan sponsors and executives should be aware of them. 

How a group of fishermen changed United States internet regulation, perhaps forever.

The Treasury Department and IRS have released Notice 2025-42, overhauling the rules for determining the Beginning of Construction (BOC) of a project for purposes of the §45Y production tax credit and §48E investment tax credit as it applies to wind and solar facilities.

On June 11, 2025, the Civil Division of the Department of Justice issued a memorandum announcing its enforcement priorities under the Trump administration. Under the memo, among other things, a policy shift heightens the priority of civil denaturalization enforcement.

On July 1, 2025, a federal judge blocked the Trump administration's recently announced early termination of Temporary Protected Status for Haiti.

The judge said that "this court has no hesitation determining this situation warrants emergency injunctive relief and class certification."

The Temporary Protected Status designations for the two countries were set to expire on July 5, 2025. The termination will be effective September 8, 2025.

Applicants must submit the new fees with benefit requests postmarked on or after July 22, 2025. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said it will reject any form postmarked on or after August 21, 2025, without the proper fees.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has received enough petitions to reach the congressionally mandated 65,000 H-1B visa regular cap and the 20,000 H-1B visa U.S. advanced degree exemption, known as the master's cap, for fiscal year 2026. 

The new Status Change Report now includes an additional "Revoked Document Number" field.

For the first time in 120 years, the Minnesota legislature has enacted a comprehensive overhaul of its laws on the partition of real property with the new Minnesota Partition Act. The Act will replace the existing partition law for all partition actions commenced on or after August 1, 2025.

Manufacturers who sell, offer for sale or distribute within Minnesota products that contain intentionally added per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances now have until July 1, 2026, to submit information on those products to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency commissioner.

A recent decision from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York sheds light on how existing intellectual property laws apply (or do not apply) to AI-generated voice clones.

I-9 compliance is a notoriously difficult area for employers, and this is only further highlighted by the additional complications and considerations posed by the recent termination of Temporary Protected Status and Humanitarian Parole for nationals of certain countries.

The 2025 Minnesota special legislative session led to notable changes for Minnesota environmental and natural resource laws.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently issued a memorandum clarifying the scope of Clean Water Act Section 401 certification.

Effective June 1, 2025, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency finalized its 2025 Multi-Sector General National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)/State Disposal System (SDS) Permit MNR050000 regulating the discharge of industrial stormwater.

President Trump issued a proclamation, “Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats.” The proclamation includes a country-by-country list of restrictions and exceptions.

Following a Boulder, Colorado, attack perpetrated by an Egyptian national, the Department of Homeland Security said that U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will be “ramping up the review of immigration records and will take immediate appropriate actions” to crack down on visa overstays.

Termination of Temporary Protected Status for Nepal and Cameroon will take place in August.

Undocumented persons who self-deport from the United States through the CBP Home App will receive forgiveness of any civil fines or penalties for failing to depart, the Department of Homeland Security said.

The Department of State resumed visa processing for new and returning students and exchange visitors (F, M and J nonimmigrants) but announced enhanced social media and online presence screening and vetting procedures. Consular posts may resume processing of expedited appointment requests and are directed to prioritize physicians applying for J visas and applicants studying at U.S. universities where international students constitute 15% or less of the total student body.

President Trump has reversed the pause he called for a week ago on deportation-related raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on worksites in the agricultural, hospitality and restaurant industries.

The three-day filing window to submit an H-2B Application for Temporary Employment Certification (Form ETA-9142B and appendices) requesting a work start date of October 1, 2025, will open on July 3, 2025, and close on July 5, 2025.

On June 27, 2025, in a case implicating President Trump’s Executive Order on birthright citizenship, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision limiting federal courts’ ability to issue nationwide injunctions blocking executive orders and broad national policies. The decision did not address the merits or constitutionality of President Trump’s Executive Order on birthright citizenship. The decision means that there will be continuing and evolving uncertainties, including legal challenges to the Executive Order in the federal courts.

The U.S. Supreme Court paused a lower court ruling to allow the Trump administration to deport people to third countries without the ability to argue that they would face torture. Specifically, a group of men being held at a military base in Djibouti will be sent to South Sudan while their case continues in court.

The Department of Homeland Security announced that it is revoking Employment Authorization Documents for certain people whose parole has been terminated. E-Verify and the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements program have launched new Status Change Reports for employers to identify if any of their E-Verify cases were created with an EAD that has been revoked.

Hundreds of doctors who were expected to begin medical residencies at U.S. hospitals shortly are stuck in “visa limbo” because of delays, an inability to make J-1 visa appointments or additional vetting, despite the Department of State’s recent announcement that interviews could resume. Others have been unable to enter the United States due to the Trump administration’s travel (entry) ban on 19 countries.

The U.S. Supreme Court issued two simultaneous opinions on June 18, 2025, that, between them, offer additional guidance as to the appropriate federal appellate court into which parties must bring challenges to Environmental Protection Agency actions under the Clean Air Act.

On June 1, 2025, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency issued a final NPDES/SDS wastewater permit for 3M’s Cottage Grove Chemical Operations facility. Regarded as one of the most stringent permits in state history, it marks a significant regulatory milestone in the oversight of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in industrial wastewater.

On Friday, June 27, 2025, the Supreme Court ruled that the lower courts likely did not have the power to issue nationwide injunctions on the EO, asked the lower courts to reexamine their decisions and granted a partial stay of the nationwide injunctions.

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a $9 billion federal universal service program which funds several telecommunications programs, reversing the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals decision that held the program unconstitutional.

Minnesota’s 2025 legislative session and June 10 special session closed with a handful of new and amended employment laws of which employers should be aware. Here is a summary of significant changes impacting Minnesota workplaces.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has announced its intent to extend the deadline by which manufacturers who sell, offer for sale or distribute within Minnesota products that contain intentionally added per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) must submit information on those products to the MPCA Commissioner. 

On June 6, 2025, Judge Claudia Wilken granted final approval of the House settlement agreement. The NCAA and its major conferences agreed to pay nearly $2.8 billion in back damages over the next decade to athletes who competed in college athletics at any time from 2016 through the present day. 

On March 31, 2025, the Minnesota Court of Appeals affirmed a decision by the Todd County Board of Commissioners that denied the request of Dairy Ridge LLC for a conditional use permit for its 75-acre dairy farm. 

On March 12, 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced that the agencies would “move quickly” to revise their matching regulatory definitions of “Waters of the United States” (or, WOTUS).

The Trump administration ordered the termination of Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification, announced a ban on all foreign student visas for study at Harvard, and ordered foreign students currently studying at Harvard to transfer or lose their right to study in the United States. A district Court temporarily blocked the ban.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration can move forward, while legal proceedings continue, with revoking Temporary Protected Status for an estimated 350,000 Venezuelans in the United States who received TPS in 2023.

The Temporary Protected Status designation for the country expires on May 20, 2025, and the termination will take effect July 14, 2025. The decision affects an estimated 9,000 Afghans in the United States.

The Department of Homeland Security has extended Temporary Protected Status for South Sudan through November 3, 2025. The extension also automatically extends the validity of work permits previously issued under the TPS designation of South Sudan for six months.

On May 7, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security announced full implementation of REAL ID enforcement measures at Transportation Security Administration checkpoints nationwide. DHS said that 81% of travelers are already REAL ID compliant.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement reinstated many Student and Exchange Visitor Information System records as of April 24, 2025 — not retroactively to the date of termination of the records, thus leaving a gap that could be construed as rendering the students out of status during that time, which could have severe consequences.

Raising free speech concerns after the Trump administration’s targeting of international students for participating in protests, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services posted a warning stating that “EVERYONE should be on notice.”

As Minnesota’s retail cannabis industry begins to take shape, businesses seeking to enter the market must navigate a complex regulatory framework.

On May 21, 2024, Minnesota passed the Packaging Waste and Cost Reduction Act. Broadly, the Act aims to decrease waste associated with packaging products by increasing rates of recycling, reuse and compost and by encouraging the use of post-consumer recycled content.

On June 4, 2025, President Donald Trump signed a Presidential Proclamation enacting a travel ban for individuals from 19 countries from entering the United States. The proclamation takes effect at 12:01 a.m. EDT on Monday, June 9, 2025.

On May 29, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its opinion in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County, No. 23-975, clarifying the scope of federal agencies’ environmental-review obligations under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). 

Minority investments in the healthcare industry are often a way for strategic investors (e.g., health systems or medtech companies) to gain early access to innovative technologies, deepen commercial relationships or influence product development without fully acquiring the company.

Small banks must proactively plan for shareholder succession to maintain stability and independence, addressing liquidity needs, regulatory requirements, and emotional challenges that arise from ownership transitions.

Wire transfers, originally developed by Western Union in the 1870s, continue to function similarly today, though modern technology has improved security and controls — fraud still persists. A recent legal case, New York v. Citibank, N.A., challenges longstanding principles by arguing that the Electronic Fund Transfer Act applies to consumer wire transfers, shifting liability to banks and raising concerns about future regulatory interpretations.

On Wednesday, the United States Court of International Trade issued a significant opinion invalidating many new import tariffs that were issued by the Trump administration starting earlier this year.

On May 22, 2025, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency held a public hearing regarding its proposed “PFAS in Products: Reporting and Fees Rule.” During the public comment portion of the hearing, representatives from a variety of manufacturers who will be subject to the proposed Rule voiced a number of consistent concerns regarding the scope and timing of MPCA’s proposed requirements.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has recently issued a Request for Comments for Planned Amendments to Rules Governing Animal Feedlots.

Litigants and litigators alike will feel the impact of Cook v. Trimble, a recent Court of Appeals decision regarding Minnesota’s Uniform Public Expression Protection Act. As the first published opinion interpreting UPEPA, Cook will be a key resource for individuals and businesses defending defamation and privacy claims in Minnesota.