What Was Announced? On February 3, 2026, the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and other plaintiffs filed a federal lawsuit  challenging the legality of the Gold Card program. The complaint alleges that the program unlawfully modifies EB-1A and EB-2 NIW categories without Congressional authorization.   What Applicants Should Know? The lawsuit claims the program: Violates the Administrative Procedure Act. Conflicts with INA statutory caps. Prioritizes wealth

What Was Announced? USCIS announced that the FY 2027 H-1B electronic registration period  will open March 4 -19, 2026. At the same time, the Department of Labor launched “Project Firewall,”  an enforcement initiative targeting H-1B compliance violations.   Together, these developments signal heightened scrutiny in both allocation and enforcement of the H-1B program.   What Applicants and Employers Should Know? Regarding the FY 2027 Cap: Registration window: March 4–19, 2026.

What Was Announced?  As of early 2026, USCIS has placed an adjudicative “hold” on certain immigration benefit applications filed by nationals from countries designated under Presidential Proclamations 10949 and 10998, as well as related security directives.   On January 1, 2026, USCIS issued Policy Memorandum PM-602-0194 expanding its earlier December 2, 2025 directive to require enhanced review of benefit requests filed by nationals of countries subject to travel restriction

Background According to reports, practitioners alerted the Department of State (DOS) on February 10, 2026, that its Travel Docs site erroneously stated that China was included  among dozens of countries for which immigrant visa processing has been  paused  as of January 21, 2026. DOS subsequently removed the statement from its website.   What Was Announced? In January 2026, the Department of State temporarily paused issuance of immigrant visas  for nationals of 75 countries p

What Was Announced? On February 20, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking  (NPRM) titled Employment Authorization Reform for Asylum Applicants (91 FR 8616; RIN 1615-AC97). The proposal would significantly amend existing regulations governing employment authorization for individuals with pending asylum applications.   DHS states that the objective is to deter meritless filings and address prolonged adjudication backlogs.   Wh

Williams Global Law  is proud to host Pathways and Passports , our official podcast series where our Founder & Managing Partner, Simone Williams talks all things immigration for educational purposes.   This platform delivers strategic conversations on U.S. immigration, global mobility, cross-border investment, and international business expansion, designed for foreign nationals, investors, founders, and international enterprises navigating the U.S. market.   Each episode offe

As Co-Chair of the D.C. Chamber of Commerce’ s International Business Development Committee, Simone Williams  is pleased to extend an invitation to a select group of business leaders, investors, and entrepreneurs to attend the inaugural monthly business series of 2026, to be held on Thursday, March 31st  at the DC Chamber of Commerce .   Event Theme: Trade, Finance, Capital & International Growth This high-level, in-person forum will convene leaders at the intersection of tra

On March 12th , Williams Global Law  will convene a distinguished panel of industry experts for a focused webinar tailored to Canadian investors and families exploring long-term U.S. mobility through the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program.   The session will be led by Simone Williams , Founder and Managing Partner of Williams Global Law and former General Counsel to a multi-million-dollar EB-5 Regional Center, alongside: Alexandra Loveless , Co-Founder of the  EB-5 Rural Allianc

On February 14th , Simone Williams  was honored to participate as a featured speaker in The Power Visionary Preview 2025/2026 Edition, led by Dr. Ibifuro Ken-Giami  and hosted by Amazons Watch Magazine  and published by the Centre for Economic & Leadership Development  (CELD). The event was an insightful and great success.   The special edition, themed “Reflecting on Her Journey, Redefining Her Future,” celebrated women leaders who shaped 2025 through resilience and reinventi