This Week in U.S. Immigration: What Actually Changed (September 7–11, 2026)

Three deadlines converged on the same few days this week, and they all seem to be in limbo due to the court’s delay on ruling.

The deadline for the court to rule on the end of Duration of Status (D/S) for Students is Tuesday

The rule ending open-ended "Duration of Status" for F-1, J-1, and I visa holders is still on track to take effect Tuesday, September 15. The court hearing was back on September 3. U.S. District Judge F. Deniis Saylor in Boston, Massachusetts called the potential harm "enormous" and hinted he might step in with a temporary restraining order (“TRO”) while he reviews further information, but as of today (at 2:30pm EST), nothing has actually happened.

One thing that is also applicable to students: new versions of Form I-539 and Form I-765 become mandatory Tuesday.

CPT keeps tightening

Two schools moved further on CPT this week, building on what we covered on August 29th: On September 8th, the University of Washington told students that it will stop approving CPT that isn't required for everyone in a program, and will be dismissing pending fall requests that don't meet that bar. UCLA's Dashew Center, also on September 8, formally suspended course-credit CPT approvals for anything filed after August 12 that doesn't have a documented cooperative agreement between the department and the employer.

It is likely that we will see more schools following suit as enforcement ramps up.

ICE enforcement activity ramped up this week

This one isn't a rule or a policy change, but it is worth highlighting due to the level of anxiety immigrant communities are feeling. ICE significantly increased enforcement activity in the Indianapolis area this week: watchers tracked a ramp-up that began August 31st, and intensified through this week, with agents making arrests at gas stations and conducting stops on major roadways in the city and nearby suburbs like Carmel and Westfield. Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said the operation happened "without any advance notice... and without transparency about procedures or intent," and Congressman André Carson has filed a formal inquiry demanding details on scope and numbers. This follows the same pattern seen elsewhere this year: a 33-day operation in New York City ("Operation Rotten Apple") wrapped up September 1 with DHS reporting over 2,100 arrests, and federal officials have publicly signaled Boston could be a next target, though no date has been confirmed there.

ICE is meant to be a civil immigration enforcement aimed at people without lawful status. However, there have been many instances of of concerning practices under the current administration. If you're in valid status, be certain to carry your necessary documents with you, and ensure that you have clear digital copies as well. Please also remember that regardless of your status in the United States, you still have certain rights granted to you by the Constitution. You have the right to remain silent, and agents need a judicial warrant, not just an ICE administrative one, to enter a home without consent.

TPS El Salvador: Still No Answer from DHS

The law requires DHS to publish a real decision to extend or terminate about 60 days ahead of time. TPS for El Salvador was due to expire September 9, and nothing has been issued. Somewhere around 200,000 people are sitting in a status that's neither confirmed safe nor confirmed over.

TPS terminations have a messy legal history. It isn’t unusual for terminations to be challenged and delayed in court, but the waiting can be stressful for populations that are already in turmoil. If you fall into this category, please consult with an attorney.

That scary H-1B fee headline? Nothing changed.

The most recent proposed $103,265 fee on cap-subject H-1B petitions got a "correction" published September 10. It was just to correct a data table in the economic analysis. The fee amount, who it applies to, the comment deadline were unchanged. If a headline this week made it sound like the fee changed, it didn't.

And separately, since these two get mixed up constantly: this $103,265 proposal is not the same thing as the $100,000 proclamation fee from last fall. That one is currently on hold pending a First Circuit appeal.

On the Horizon

As I broke down a bit further here, DHS also published the much awaited proposal to eliminate the 60-day grace period for H-1B, L-1, O-1, E, and TN workers.

Separately, DHS expanded a narrow green-card registration category for U.S.-born children of certain foreign government employees (tied to the broader birthright-citizenship fight, but a small population, not a general status change); DOJ kept up its campaign against state in-state-tuition laws for undocumented students, adding Kansas, Utah, Hawaii, Arkansas, and D.C. to the list this week; and Delaware's three new laws limiting local police cooperation with ICE took effect.

TLDR

If you’re a student, mark September 15th on your calendar regardless of how the court rules. For anyone filing a change/extension of status (I-539) or application for employment authorization (I-765) New USCIS form editions become mandatory next week.

If you've got a CPT plan this fall, check with your DSO now rather than assuming last year's approval standard still holds.

Don’t panic: if a headline scared you this week about the H-1B fee or Duration of Status (two of this week's loudest stories), the news is really "nothing's changed yet," even though they don't read that way at first glance.

This post is for general information only and is not legal advice. For guidance on your specific situation, please consult a licensed immigration attorney.