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 October 2026 edition of the Garfinkel Immigration news roundup:
DHS proposes $70K per-student OPT fee: What schools, F-1 visa holders and employers need to know
DHS has proposed significant new fees for colleges and universities participating in the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, including a $70,000 fee for each F-1 student initially recommended for OPT and an additional $30,000 for subsequent recommendations.
The proposal would require schools to pay the fees, although some or all of the costs could be passed on to students or employers.
Importantly, the proposed rule is not currently in effect. The existing OPT program remains available while the rulemaking process continues.
Garfinkel Immigration continues ‘Day of Service’ tradition with event at Crisis Assistance Ministry
Garfinkel Immigration Law Firm continued its annual “Day of Service” tradition last week, volunteering with Crisis Assistance Ministry to support individuals and families throughout the Charlotte community.
The Firm’s partners, attorneys and staff members split into groups and volunteered across two days sorting, inspecting and organizing donated clothing, shoes and household items for Crisis Assistance Ministry’s Free Store.
The Free Store provides clothing, shoes, household items and other essentials free of charge to individuals and families in the Charlotte region, with no income qualification required. Donations are sorted and prepared for the store with the help of volunteers before being made available to shoppers.
“Giving back to the community we call home is an important part of who we are as a Firm,” Garfinkel Immigration Managing Partner Hannah F. Little said. “Our ‘Day of Service’ gives our entire team an opportunity to step away from our day-to-day responsibilities and contribute together. We are grateful for the opportunity to support Crisis Assistance Ministry and the critical work they do for our neighbors.”
See highlights from the event and read more here.
U.S. says immigrants from Ukraine can keep protected status for now
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) did not issue a decision on Ukraine’s TPS designation by the October 19 deadline.
For now, Ukrainian TPS holders retain their protections, including work authorization, pending further notice.
Formal guidance is still pending. The attorneys at Garfinkel Immigration are closely monitoring developments and will share updates as they become available.
New report shows immigrants in Mecklenburg County paid $2.6 billion in taxes and held $7 billion in spending power in 2024
Did you know immigrants accounted for 42.7% of population growth in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, between 2019 and 2024?
That’s just one of the standout findings in a new report from the American Immigration Council, in partnership with the City of Charlotte, the Charlotte International Cabinet, and International House Charlotte.
A few more highlights from the report:
- $31.7 billion contributed to the county’s GDP.
- 20.1% of the county’s workforce was made up of immigrants, including 26.7% of workers in STEM fields.
- 18,800 immigrant entrepreneurs generated almost $660 million in business income.
Trump admin freezes green card program for 8 tech companies
The Trump administration froze both new and pending green card applications for at least eight companies in early October, as documented in this story by Politico.
The freeze affects Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata, Wipro, HCL Technologies and Capgemini.
Read the full story from Politico here.
Legal immigration fell sharply under Trump policies adopted early this year
This story from the NY Times in mid-October documents the sharp decline in legal immigration in early 2026 because of “policies blocking visas for immigrants from nearly half the globe.”
“The State Department issued just 26,000 immigrant visas, which grant a green card and legal permanent resident status, in February, compared with an average of 52,000 a month in the years before Trump took office, according to the most recent available government data,” the story read.
The story continued: “The policies, which took effect late last year and early this year, made it all but impossible to immigrate from 91 countries and reduced the number of immigrant visas available in another 61. Africa and the Middle East were hit particularly hard, and immigration from Muslim-majority countries plunged by more than 90 percent.”