This Week in Immigration: December 26, 2025

Trump Administration Overhauls H-1B Lottery, Prioritizes Higher-Paid Workers

The Department of Homeland Security announced it will replace the random H-1B lottery with a weighted selection process favoring higher-paid, higher-skilled applicants, starting with the FY 2027 cap season. Under a pre-published final rule, positions at the highest wage levels could receive up to four entries, compared with one entry for lower-paid roles in the same job family. Officials say the change is meant to curb abuse by employers hiring lower-wage workers. Boundless CEO Xiao Wang said the shift makes the administration’s goal clear: "Immigration to the United States is intended for the highest-paid individuals around the world."

Judge Upholds Trump’s $100,000 H-1B Fee

A federal judge ruled that President Donald Trump acted within his authority when he imposed a $100,000 fee on new H-1B workers hired from outside the U.S., delivering a major win for the administration. U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell rejected arguments from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that the fee violated immigration law, finding that Congress granted the president broad power to restrict entry. The ruling allows the controversial fee to remain in place as additional legal challenges continue.

California Immigration Courts Lose Judges as Deportation Push Accelerates

More than a quarter of California’s immigration judges have been fired, retired, or resigned since President Trump took office, deepening delays in an already overwhelmed court system. California has lost at least 35 judges since January, with San Francisco losing more than half its bench. Critics say the cuts undermine due process as deportation arrests increase. The Department of Justice has added temporary judges, including military lawyers, drawing concerns about experience and fairness.

Report Alleges ICE Is Separating Families During Deportations

A new report has accused U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement of deporting migrants to Honduras without their children, effectively causing family separations. More than half of deported parents interviewed said they were not given the option to bring their children, including U.S. citizen infants. The report, from nonprofits the Women’s Refugee Commission and Physicians for Human Rights, raises concerns about compliance with updated Trump administration directives on detained parents and child welfare coordination.

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