The Trump administration has aggressively intensified its overhaul of the U.S. immigration system, implementing executive orders, proclamations, and regulations aimed at restricting legal pathways, tightening eligibility criteria for asylum, and increasing scrutiny of workers, students, and families entering the country.
Throughout 2025, the White House, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a series of measures that, still pending regulation and litigation, could redefine who can remain, enter, or apply for permanent residency in the United States.
Among the initiatives, USCIS and DHS confirmed that fee adjustments based on inflation will take effect on January 1, 2026. The changes will impact the costs of asylum applications, parole, TPS, work authorizations, and travel programs like ESTA and EVUS, increasing expenses for those seeking to enter the country legally.
The administration has also tightened criteria for visas for highly skilled workers, particularly the H-1B program. Through proclamations and DHS guidelines, stricter standards are proposed for highly skilled workers and greater scrutiny of roles considered at risk of displacing U.S. employees.
Suspension of the visa lottery and new restrictions
Following a shooting at Brown University, DHS announced the suspension of the diversity visa lottery program. Simultaneously, there is increased review of the immigration status of citizens from 19 countries, including Venezuela, Cuba, and Haiti, raising concerns about potential delays, revocations, and deportation risks.
The administration introduced an additional $100,000 fee for new H-1B petitions, which has led to lawsuits from universities, employers, and unions, arguing that the measure exceeds presidential authority and hinders access to international talent. Additionally, the required documentation is increasing, and approval criteria are being tightened.
The changes will also affect Employment Authorization Documents (EADs), eliminating automatic extensions and reducing validity from five years to 18 months for asylum seekers, green card applicants, and other categories, causing work disruptions and potential income loss for immigrant workers.
The Trump administration has also reduced the refugee admission cap for 2026 to 7,500 people, the lowest figure since the program began, with a selective focus on specific groups.
Travel restrictions will expand to 20 countries, including Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Syria, while holders of Palestinian Authority documents will face total bans.
Amid this landscape, the government has promoted the “Golden Card,” a million-dollar visa program for high-net-worth investors seeking permanent residency, and has intensified the hiring of attorneys to serve as deportation judges, expanding USCIS’s authority and reach into enforcement tasks.
Experts warn that these measures reflect a “militarization” of the immigration agency, transforming it into an entity more focused on restricting and controlling legal access than on facilitating immigration benefits, creating uncertainty for applicants, employers, and advocates nationwide.
Image: Opinion
