This Week in Immigration: December 19, 2025

Trump Pauses Diversity Visa Lottery After Campus Shootings

The Trump administration has suspended the Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery after the Brown University and MIT shootings. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said she halted the program at Trump’s direction, claiming that the suspect became a permanent resident through the lottery. The green card lottery program issues up to 50,000 green cards annually to people from countries with low U.S. immigration. The administration has not said how long the suspension will last or whether it plans to propose permanent changes. 

January 2026 Visa Bulletin: Modest Movement, Big Gains for a Few Groups

The U.S. Department of State released its Visa Bulletin for January 2026. This monthly update is important if you're waiting for a green card because it shows how long you might have to wait. Family-based categories for Mexico saw the biggest gains, with F-1 and F-2B jumping six months and F-2A moving ahead by one month. On the employment side, EB-1 advanced for China and India, EB-2 moved three months for most countries, EB-3 India inched forward, China’s EB-3 Other Worker category advanced a full year, and EB-5 India leapt two years. Most other categories stayed the same.

Trump Expands U.S. Travel Ban to 39 Countries

President Trump has issued a sweeping proclamation doubling the size of the U.S. travel ban from 19 to 39 countries. The new rules, effective January 1, block or restrict visas for millions and add full bans for travelers using Palestinian Authority documents. Several countries previously under partial limits now face full suspensions, while many African and Caribbean countries are newly added. The administration says the expansion is needed due to major gaps in screening and information-sharing.

USCIS Narrows Photo Reuse to 3 Years

USCIS has tightened its photo reuse policy, now allowing reuse only if an applicant’s biometrics photo is less than three years old. Anyone with an older photo must attend a new appointment before USCIS can issue a green card, work permit, or other secure document. The update replaces both pandemic-era reuse practices and the age-based rules introduced in 2024. Because the change applies broadly — and excludes forms like N-400, I-90, N-600, and I-485 — many applicants should expect fresh biometrics going forward.

Trump Administration Plans Major Increase in Denaturalization Cases

The Trump administration is preparing to escalate efforts to strip some naturalized Americans of their U.S. citizenship, according to internal guidance obtained by The New York Times. USCIS field offices were instructed to send 100–200 potential denaturalization cases per month to federal litigators in fiscal year 2026, a dramatic departure from past practice. Historically, denaturalization averaged about a dozen cases per year. Federal law allows denaturalization only in narrow circumstances, such as fraud or material misrepresentation during the naturalization process. USCIS says the push is part of ongoing efforts to root out fraud in the immigration system.

Shareholder Group Presses Amazon, Walmart on Financial Risks of Trump Policies

A shareholder group is urging Amazon, Walmart, and Alphabet to explain how President Trump’s immigration policies, including a new $100,000 H-1B visa approval fee, are affecting their operations, Reuters reports. SOC Investment Group says rising hiring costs and potential labor shortages could threaten long-term performance and is also asking how immigration raids are disrupting trucking and agricultural supply chains. The group may pursue litigation if the companies refuse to include its proposals on next year’s proxy ballots.

{{cta-component-horizontal-aligned}}