On September 11, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security issued a proposed rule to eliminate the 60-day grace period after cessation of employment before the expiration of a nonimmigrant worker’s authorized period of stay.
On September 11, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced that it has received enough petitions to meet the congressionally established H-2B cap for the first half of fiscal year 2027.
Temporary Protected Status and associated work authorization for more than 170,000 Salvadorans in the United States remains uncertain after it had been extended until September 9, 2026.
Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements and E-Verify have posted updates on the status of Employment Authorization Documents for Temporary Protected Status beneficiaries from Sudan and Ukraine.
On September 14, 2026, a federal court in Massachusetts issued a preliminary injunction postponing the effective date of a Department of Homeland Security final rule that would have replaced duration-of-status admissions for F, J and I nonimmigrants with fixed admission periods beginning September 15, 2026.
On September 18, 2026, the Department of State announced that effective October 1, 2026, the agency will "broaden its online presence review" to cover applicants in additional nonimmigrant visa classifications: I (foreign media representatives), TN (U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement [USMCA] professionals) and TD (USMCA dependents).
President Trump issued an executive order and a proclamation that, together, impose new H-1B restrictions, direct the Secretary of Labor to review previously submitted labor condition applications, and extend through September 21, 2027, the $100,000 payment requirement tied to certain new H-1B petitions for workers outside the United States.
In a recent decision, the Minnesota Supreme Court found that where the damages stemming from a contractor’s negligence exceeded the amount due under its construction contract with the project owner, the contractor’s mechanic’s lien was satisfied, and the contractor was not entitled to recover its attorneys’ fees.
Project development and finance approaches may now be impacted by the ongoing concerns over foreign ownership of U.S. farmland. The USDA has proposed significant changes to the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 (AFIDA) that would expand the scope of foreign ownership reporting requirements.
The Minnesota Court of Appeals reversed and remanded two discrete aspects of the NPDES/SDS wastewater discharge permit the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) issued to Chemical Operations LLC for 3M’s Cottage Grove manufacturing facility.
The Minnesota Court of Appeals recently found the City of Faribault’s determination that an environmental impact statement was not required for a proposed data center project was unsupported by substantial evidence, arbitrary and capricious, and erroneous.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency held an administrative hearing on its proposed “cumulative impact” rules on September 1. The public now has an additional chance to provide written comment before Administrative Law Judge Kimberly Middendorf issues her report on the propriety of the proposed rules.
Investment advisers employed at banking institutions occupy a complex regulatory position. Unlike their counterparts at standalone advisory firms, bank-based advisers must navigate the intersection of two distinct regulatory regimes.
Employers, including banking and financial institutions, face an ever-evolving employment law landscape. In addition, in challenging economic times, employees may be more motivated to challenge employment decisions.
Under the program, an applicant for a visa as a temporary visitor for business or pleasure (B-1/B-2) may be required to submit a visa bond “to ensure that the alien maintains his or her nonimmigrant status and departs as required. Consular officers may require covered nonimmigrant visa applicants to post a bond of up to $20,000 as a condition of visa issuance, as determined by the consular officers.”
Applications for immigration benefits can be denied without first issuing a Request for Evidence or a Notice of Intent to Deny if “all required initial evidence” has not been submitted with the application.
On August 10, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security published a final rule amending its regulations on the 9-11 Response and Biometric Entry-Exit Fee for certain H-1B and L-1 nonimmigrant visas. The final rule requires that covered employers submit the fee ($4,000 for H-1B petitions and $4,500 for L-1 petitions) for all H-1B and L-1 extension-of-status petitions regardless of whether the related fraud prevention and detection fee applies.
President Donald Trump signed two new executive orders on August 6, 2026, to limit birthright citizenship for those he deems not to “fall within the rule of birthright citizenship announced by the Supreme Court.”
The court held that the policy is contrary to law and was issued in excess of Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s statutory authority. The court therefore vacated the policy under the Administrative Procedure Act. The judgment also vacated any refusal of an immigrant visa that was based solely upon the policy and remanded those agency actions for further proceedings.
A coalition of organizations filed a lawsuit in a U.S. District Court challenging the Department of Homeland Security’s final rule that replaces the “Duration of Status” (D/S) framework for F-1 international students and J-1 exchange visitors with fixed admission periods of no more than four years and imposes fixed periods of admission for representatives of foreign media in I status.
The 09/18/26 edition of Form I-485 will replace the 01/20/25 edition. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said the form has been revised to align with the recently announced Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility final rule.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is issuing updated guidance explaining how the agency will determine whether an individual applying for adjustment of status to lawful permanent residence is likely at any time to become a public charge.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services released new guidance on Ethiopian Temporary Protected Status that supersedes earlier guidance posted on August 6. The guidance notes that the Ethiopia TPS designation was terminated on August 18, 2026.
In addition to Mission Mexico (embassy and all consulates), the program is now expanded to include Mission Canada (embassy and all consulates) and the embassies in Bogota, Guatemala City, San Jose and Tegucigalpa.
Steve Helland attended Y Combinator’s 2026 AI Startup School. The event attracted AI builders and aspiring founders who came to hear speakers including Sam Altman, Jensen Huang, Boris Cherny, Alexandr Wang and Max Hodak.
A growing number of foreign nationals have been detained by the Department of Homeland Security at U.S. airports while traveling between states, even if they had pending applications and were in a period of authorized stay, including spouses of U.S. citizens, tech workers and others.
DHS said the rule will shorten the total time that it takes asylum officers and immigration judges to adjudicate asylum applications and thus reduce the asylum backlog.
The $100,000 H-1B application fee remains vacated pending a decision on the merits in the underlying appeal.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 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 for fiscal year 2027.
The rule applies to applications for admission made on or after September 18, 2026, or applications for adjustment of status postmarked or electronically submitted on or after that date.
The Department of Labor’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification announced the Assignment Groups for 2,625 H-2B applications covering 51,158 worker positions with a work start date of October 1, 2026, received during the July 3-5, 2026, filing period.
In Zeidman v. Lindell Management, the Eighth Circuit vacated a $5 million arbitration award, holding that the arbitrators “exceeded their powers,” exhibited a “manifest disregard” for the law under the Federal Arbitration Act and relied on extrinsic evidence to rewrite unambiguous contract terms.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), acting as Chair of the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force (FLETF), has added 43 new entities to the UFLPA Entity List.
Accessibility risks of using AI-generated code.
On July 17, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security issued a final rule to a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announcement that amends its regulations to change the admission period in the F, J and I classifications.
The Supreme Court ruled that children born in the United States to parents unlawfully or temporarily present are automatically citizens at birth under the 14th Amendment’s Citizenship Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
The guidance, which states that work authorization is extended to July 10, 2026, for eligible Temporary Protected Status beneficiaries as outlined in each notice, includes Burma, Ethiopia, Haiti, Somalia, Syria, South Sudan and Yemen.
The Department of Homeland Security published a proposed rule that would implement the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022.
The Court ruled 6-3 that border officers do not need clear and convincing evidence of a crime at the time of re-entry to reclassify a returning green card holder as applying for admission for the first time.
Practitioners are warning U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services users about fake web pages that may pop up when a person is navigating to or within the USCIS website.
The new fee, effective July 1, allows eligible B-1/B-2 visa applicants to secure an interview appointment at selected posts within 10 business days, subject to availability.
The Department of State’s Visa Bulletin for July 2026 includes updates in several employment-based green card categories.
On June 12, 2026, a U.S. District Court partially stayed its June 8, 2026, decision that vacated a Department of Homeland Security policy imposing a $100,000 fee on certain new H-1B petitions.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services issued an alert under a court order and subsequent compliance order. The court vacated policy guidance based on several presidential proclamations that resulted in a freeze on the processing of hundreds of thousands of green card, work permit and asylum applications for nationals of 39 countries. USCIS has filed an appeal of the decision vacating the policies.
According to reports, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has “quietly” lifted processing holds in the United States on pending immigration benefit applications for physicians. This includes H-1B petitions filed by U.S. employers for physician employees and J-1 waiver-related adjustment of status applications.
Generative AI tools create a practical problem for discovery: confidential materials produced under protective orders can be uploaded to an AI platform in seconds, and public AI providers’ terms of service often permit retention, training and third-party disclosure of user inputs. Federal courts have begun addressing this gap, and the results show that protective orders and ESI protocols must now explicitly address generative AI use.
Generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini are now embedded in everyday corporate and legal work. Clients and lawyers use them to draft documents, brainstorm arguments and analyze issues. But a growing body of federal court decisions makes clear that courts will apply traditional privilege and work-product rules to AI interactions without creating AI-specific exceptions. The results depend on who is directing the tool, how the tool handles data and whether counsel is meaningfully involved.
College athletics entered a new era on July 1, 2025, when the House v. NCAA settlement took effect. While NIL opportunities had already transformed the landscape, the settlement fundamentally altered the economic model of college sports by allowing institutions to directly compensate athletes through revenue-sharing arrangements.
Owning and operating a manufactured housing community (MHC) requires a broad understanding of property management, legal compliance and community relations. First-time and newer owner-operators often encounter avoidable pitfalls that can lead to costly disputes, legal problems and operational headaches.
On May 22, 2026, HUD issued a memorandum setting forth its guidance relating to animal-related reasonable accommodations under the federal Fair Housing Act.
On June 8, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts struck down the $100,000 H-1B filing fee. The court concluded that “the substance and application of the $100,000 payment reveal that it is a tax, regardless of what the payment is called.”
The Opportunity Zones program has deployed an estimated $100 billion into designated communities since its creation in 2017. Recent changes under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act have permanently extended the program while introducing significant new compliance and reporting requirements. This article provides an overview of the program's history, structure and key changes investors should understand as Opportunity Zones enter a new era.
Tariffs and tariffs enforcement have been the focus of recent actions by the United States Trade Representative and President Donald Trump. The impacts will first affect importers, but there are also significant implications for manufacturers, retailers and other parties using, selling and purchasing imported products.
The Department of Homeland Security announced immediate restrictions on flights arriving in the United States carrying persons who have recently traveled from, or were otherwise present within, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda or South Sudan. Flights carrying such persons must arrive only at Washington-Dulles International Airport and must undergo public health measures.
The validity of Employment Authorization Documents with category codes A12 or C19 that expired on March 9, 2025, for TPS El Salvador recipients has been automatically extended through July 22, 2026.
A Department of Homeland Security proposed rule ending the use of “duration of status” for F students, J exchange visitors and I foreign media representatives is likely to be finalized in the coming weeks.
The Department of State’s Visa Bulletin for June 2026 includes several updates on the effects on visa number availability of high demand in several employment-based green card categories.
The Department of Labor announced an enforcement action against Cloudera, Inc., a software firm based in Santa Clara, California, following allegations that it unlawfully discriminated against U.S. workers in favor of foreign labor.
All job orders and applications seeking temporary or permanent labor certification for jobs requiring the operation of a commercial motor vehicle must include an English-language proficiency standard.
On April 30, 2026, a federal court in Massachusetts ordered the U.S. government to lift its blanket hold on certain U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services immigration applications for approximately 200 plaintiffs from specific countries.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has begun implementing enhanced security vetting procedures that are expected to delay certain pending immigration benefit adjudications. In addition, more types of petitions and applications will require fingerprint-based background checks.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has quietly updated its enhanced screening and vetting policy to lift the adjudication hold for foreign national physicians. The update applies only to cases pending or filed with USCIS and does not affect visa applications processed abroad through the Department of State.
Divided government led to very little employment legislation during the recently ended 2026 Minnesota legislative session.
Regardless of whether you are engaging a new vendor or renewing an existing relationship, negotiating a core processing contract is an arduous task. If your bank has an upcoming negotiation, here are a few pointers from recent experience in the contract negotiation trenches to get you going.
On May 22, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a new policy memorandum, issued on May 21, 2026, stating that adjustment of status (AOS) — the process of applying for lawful permanent residence from within the United States — is a discretionary form of immigrant relief.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, on May 18, 2026, published draft rules to implement the second phase of 2023 legislation regulating air toxic emissions from permitted facilities in the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area.
You may have seen the legal bulletins or “alerts” last week — the Colorado Legislature passed a bill to repeal and amend its landmark “AI Act,” which was signed by Governor Jared Polis on Thursday.
On May 18, 2026, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency published its proposed rules implementing Minn. Stat. § 116.065, marking a major step in Minnesota's effort to incorporate cumulative environmental concerns into air permitting decisions for facilities located in or near designated environmental justice areas.
On May 15, 2026, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency issued a notice that it intends to develop rules to clarify and implement certain positions of Minnesota’s Extended Producer Responsibility law, the Packaging Waste and Cost Reduction Act.
In the final minutes of its 2026 session on May 17, 2026, the Minnesota Legislature changed its previous notification requirement regarding products containing intentionally added per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
The recent summit meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping appears to have resulted in a limited easing of U.S.-China trade and commercial tensions, with both governments signaling interest in continued economic engagement and dialogue.
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.
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.
