Welcome to the Garfinkel Immigration news roundup, where every month we will summarize and provide links to the latest stories impacting U.S. immigration.
Below is the January 2026 edition of the Garfinkel Immigration news roundup:
U.S. halts immigrant visa processing for 75 countries — What applicants need to know
Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of State froze immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries.
This applies only to immigrant visas (green card applications) and currently does not affect nonimmigrant visa applicants.
The pause is expected to last indefinitely and affects nationals from the below countries:
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyz Republic, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, and Yemen
Nationals of affected countries can still submit applications and attend interviews. However, their applications will be refused under INA 221(g), and no green cards will be issued until the suspension is lifted.
Navigating PERM recruitment in 2026: Best strategies and everything else employers need to know
PERM recruitment isn’t getting easier.
In 2026, employers pursuing PERM-based green cards are navigating strict oversight, evolving standards for proving good-faith recruitment, and real-world hiring challenges.
Understanding how the Department of Labor evaluates recruitment efforts, and aligning internal practices accordingly, can make a meaningful difference in PERM outcomes.
In Garfinkel Immigration’s latest white paper, Associate Attorney William Crotty breaks down what’s changing and what employers should be doing now.
Read the full white paper here.
No more year-long wait: What new DHS rule means for R-1 religious workers and faith-based employers
The Department of Homeland Security has eliminated the one-year foreign residency requirement for religious workers in R-1 status who have reached their five-year limit.
This means R-1 religious workers can now return to the U.S. more quickly, without spending a full year abroad.
In her latest blog, Partner Meredith Barnette, head of the Garfinkel Immigration Law Firm Religious Worker Specialty Practice Group, explains what this change means and how to plan ahead.
No off-ramp in sight for ‘DHS-fueled shutdown’
Another government shutdown is possible beginning Feb. 1, as detailed in this story from Politico published in late January.
“Democrats, Republicans and the White House each say they want to avoid another costly lapse in government funding,” the story read. “But (the Jan. 24) killing of a 37-year-old Minnesota man by federal agents has badly complicated the approach pattern for a massive six-bill appropriations package that the Senate planned to approve this week.”
The Politico story added that “Democrats want Republicans to join them in stripping out funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)” from the spending package that would need to pass to avoid a partial shutdown.
“The captured-on-video killing of Alex Pretti has sparked public unease even from Trump allies in Congress and fueled new questions about how the administration is enacting its agenda,” The Politico story read.
Read the full story from Politico here.
Administration slashing legal immigration by 33% to 50%, study finds
The policies of the Trump administration will reduce legal immigration anywhere from 33 to 55 percent over four years, according to a National Foundation for American Policy analysis, via a story published by Forbes Senior Contributor Stuart Anderson.
“Restricting Americans’ ability to sponsor their closest family members will be the administration’s primary way to lower legal immigration,” the Forbes story read.
The story continued: “While aggressive deportation tactics by Immigration and Customs Enforcement have garnered headlines, cuts to the admission of legal immigrants will have a profound impact on the country and millions of people.”
Read the full Forbes story here.
Trump’s ‘maximum chaos’ in immigration leaves employers hanging
This story from Bloomberg Law details employers’ struggles “navigating (the) evolving patchwork of unpredictable Trump administration policies disrupting entry to the U.S.,” including the expanded travel ban and the immigrant visa processing pause mentioned above.
“Immigrants, their families, and employers have often been left with no opportunity to prepare for changes to key programs, leaving hiring and travel plans in disarray,” the story read.
The story added: “The immigrant visa pause, first reported by Fox News then confirmed by the State Department on social media hours before an official announcement, was a case in point. Businesses and attorneys were left in the dark on how broadly the ban applied and who may be exempted.”