The United States is witnessing one of the most dynamic policy periods in the immigration arena, with the Trump administration moving to reshape many facets of the immigration system with the use of its executive powers. The administration's marked activity on the immigration front contrasts sharply with Congress, which has been largely unable to tackle substantive change to the immigration system over nearly two decades.
While the administration has been significantly focused on the border, this report examines a range of policy areas that have not been at the forefront of debate but deserve greater information sharing with the public and policymakers. “This period of significant action by the executive branch, which has surfaced a real questioning of long-held immigration policies and practices, presents a new opportunity for lawmakers to inject policy ideas of their own into what has been prolonged, often stagnant, legislative debates,” the report states.
September 2026 brought the most significant overhaul of U.S. green card application requirements in years. Three major immigration forms changed in the same month, a sweeping new public charge rule reshaped how every adjustment of status application is evaluated, and USCIS announced there would b...