Kodem Law Firm PLLC

08/27/2026

Immigration news comes at us like a firehose these days. It's a lot to keep up with.

So every Friday, we're breaking it down for you. Introducing This Week in USCIS, a quick weekly rundown of the week's immigration news and what it means, hosted by our Managing Attorney, Sharadha Kodem.

🗓️ First session: Friday, 8/28 at 12:00 PM
📲 Scan the QR code to join

I hope you'll join us

07/31/2026

6 hours from now, we answer your F-1 visa questions live. If you missed Monday's session or want to hear it again, this is your chance to get clarity on exactly what the new rules mean for your status.
Free. Register now: webinar.kodemlaw.com

07/29/2026

The F-1 visa webinar from Monday is back by popular request, this Friday.

The duration of status framework for F-1 visas has been eliminated. Students will now be admitted for a fixed period, capped at four years, after which they must apply to USCIS directly for an extension. This applies to students already in the US.

If you are an international student, on OPT, or have someone in your family studying in the US, this session covers exactly what changed, what it means for your status, and what to do about it.

Free. Live Q&A. Register now: webinar.kodemlaw.com

07/29/2026

🚨Announcement -
By popular request, we are running the F-1 visa webinar again this Friday.

If you are an international student, on OPT, or planning to study in the US - this is for you.

If you missed Monday or want to catch it again, this is your chance to get your questions answered live.

Free. Register now: webinar.kodemlaw.com

07/24/2026

The F-1 visa rules just changed - and if you are studying in the US right now, this affects you.
Watch this. Share it with someone who needs to see it.
Free webinar July 27th - link in bio to register.

07/23/2026

A new DHS rule changes how long F-1 students can stay in the US.

Duration of status is gone, replaced by a four-year cap. Extensions now go through USCIS, not your DSO. The grace period after graduation drops from 60 days to 30.

Students already in the US transition automatically.

Free live webinar with Sharadha Kodem, Managing Attorney, on July 27 at 12 PM CT.

Register: https://webinar.kodemlaw.com/etn/foreign-student-visa-rulewhat-changes-are-coming/

07/20/2026

📊 Visa Bulletin – August 2026 Update

Mixed month — real relief on family-based categories, but the EB-1/EB-2 India situation keeps getting worse.

📌 USCIS Filing Update

For all family-sponsored preference categories, use the Dates for Filing chart in the Department of State Visa Bulletin for August 2026.

For all employment-based preference categories, use the Final Action Dates chart in the Department of State Visa Bulletin for August 2026.

🔎 Key Highlights
Employment-Based
• 🇮🇳 India EB-1 – Further Retrogression
Final Action Dates for India EB-1 moved backward again, from December 15, 2022 to October 15, 2022. The Department of State warns high demand could force the category to "unavailable" in the coming weeks if India's pro-rated annual limit is reached first.

• 🇮🇳 India EB-2 – Still Unavailable
EB-2 for India remains marked "U" (unavailable) under Final Action Dates for a second straight month.

• ⚠️ EB-2 Worldwide – Retrogression Warning
The bulletin separately warns that rising demand across EB-2 overall may force a retrogression or unavailability in the coming months to stay within the FY 2026 annual limit.

• 🇮🇳 EB-5 Unreserved India – Also Unavailable
Final Action Dates for EB-5 Unreserved India are now "U" as well.
Family-Based

• 👪 F2A – Big Jump Forward
F2A (spouses/children of permanent residents) worldwide advanced sharply to July 22, 2026 under Final Action Dates — effectively near-current — while Dates for Filing for F2A is "Current" across all countries, including Mexico.

• F1 (Unmarried Sons/Daughters of U.S. Citizens)
Holding at December 15, 2018 worldwide (including China and India) under Final Action; Mexico remains far behind at December 1, 2007, and the Philippines at May 1, 2013.

• F2B (Unmarried Adult Sons/Daughters of Permanent Residents) January 1, 2018 worldwide under Final Action. Mexico (February 15, 2009) and the Philippines (June 1, 2013) continue to lag well behind.

• F3 (Married Sons/Daughters of U.S. Citizens)
May 15, 2012 worldwide. Mexico is the most backlogged at July 1, 2001; Philippines at February 22, 2006.

• F4 (Siblings of Adult U.S. Citizens)
September 1, 2009 worldwide, but India sits well behind at November 1, 2006, Mexico at April 8, 2001, and Philippines at August 1, 200, this remains the most oversubscribed family category across the board.

💡 What This Means
• India-born EB-1 applicants should treat the next few weeks as time-sensitive, the category could go "unavailable" before the fiscal year ends
• India EB-2 applicants remain shut out of final action filing for now
• Family-sponsored applicants especially F2A are seeing real forward movement, with Dates for Filing now current for everyone
• Mexico and Philippines family categories remain the most backlogged across nearly every preference
• With FY 2026 winding down, further shifts in either direction are likely across both employment- and family-based categories

If you need guidance navigating these updates, feel free to reach out to Kodem Law.

07/08/2026

The Trump Administration Announces Its First Major H-1B & PERM Fraud Investigation - What Employers Should Do Now

Today, the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General announced what it describes as its first major investigation into alleged H-1B and PERM visa fraud. According to public reports, investigators have already issued dozens of subpoenas as part of a nationwide inquiry focusing on allegations of visa fraud, labor trafficking, and the displacement of U.S. workers.

While the investigation is in its early stages and no conclusions should be drawn regarding any specific employer, one thing is clear: The era of heightened employment-based immigration enforcement is here.

For employers sponsoring H-1B workers or pursuing PERM labor certifications, this is an important reminder that compliance is not simply about obtaining an approval, it's about ensuring that every stage of the process is accurate, well-documented, and fully compliant with federal regulations.

Now is an excellent time to conduct an internal compliance review, including:

✅ Reviewing all Labor Condition Applications (LCAs) and Public Access Files (PAFs)

✅ Confirming prevailing wage and wage payment compliance

✅ Verifying worksite locations and approved job duties

✅ Reviewing H-1B amendments for remote work or location changes

✅ Auditing PERM recruitment documentation and recruitment reports

✅ Confirming that job requirements accurately reflect legitimate business needs

✅ Ensuring third-party placement documentation is complete, where applicable

✅ Training HR and managers on H-1B compliance obligations and recordkeeping

The vast majority of employers work hard to comply with the law. Strong compliance programs not only reduce legal risk but also demonstrate good faith if questions ever arise during a government audit or investigation.

As an immigration and compliance attorney, I often remind clients that the best defense is preparation, not panic!

Employers that proactively audit their immigration programs are generally in a much stronger position than those who wait until they receive a subpoena, site visit, Notice of Inspection, or government inquiry.

Employment-based immigration continues to be an essential tool for attracting global talent. Protecting the integrity of these programs benefits compliant employers, foreign professionals, and the U.S. immigration system as a whole.

If your organization sponsors H-1B employees or files PERM labor certifications, now is the time to review your compliance practices.

07/04/2026

An unannounced knock from USCIS is no longer rare. It's routine.

FDNS site visits can happen at any point in the H-1B lifecycle. No notice given.

Officers can ask to interview your sponsored employee, review the Public Access File, and walk the worksite.

What separates a smooth visit from a compliance nightmare?

✅ A trained point of contact who greets the officer, not a flustered receptionist

✅ Records that are actually organized and current (PAF, payroll, timesheets, MSAs/SOWs for third-party placements)

✅ A process for flagging material changes (new location, remote work, different duties) before USCIS finds them first

Get any of these wrong and you're looking at RFEs, revocation, DOL back-wage orders or worse.

Prepare now. It's a lot cheaper than defending a revocation later.

Full guidance here: https://kodemlaw.com/non-immigration/uscis-onsite-inspections-practical-guidance-for-h-1b-employers-in-2026-2/

Prepare for USCIS FDNS site visits in 2026. Learn employer obligations, compliance tips, and audit readiness.

07/01/2026

When did a typo become a $2,700 fine?

I-9 and E-Verify audits are ramping up, and enforcement has gotten a lot less forgiving. Errors that used to get a pass such as a missed date, an incomplete field, are now landing as "technical violations," each one carrying real penalty exposure.

The fix isn't complicated: know where employers typically slip up, and self-audit before ICE does it for you.

We put together a short primer on what's changed for 2026 and how to stay ahead of it: https://kodemlaw.com/non-immigration/i-9-and-e-verify-compliance-best-practices-for-u-s-employers-in-2026-2/