January 2026 Immigration Roundup: Travel Bans, USCIS Updates & Policy Shifts

The first week of January 2026 brought a wave of immigration policy developments with direct and indirect implications for EB-3 applicants. President Trump issued a Presidential Proclamation expanding travel restrictions to individuals outside the U.S. as of January 1, 2026, without a valid visa, and separately suspended the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program following high-profile shootings linked to a prior DV program recipient. For those navigating consular processing, the Department of State updated its instructions for scheduling nonimmigrant and immigrant visa interviews, which may affect appointment availability and procedures for EB-3 beneficiaries abroad. Additionally, a holiday travel alert flagged increased visa revocations linked to prior arrest history and disruptions to visa appointments tied to expanded screening measures — relevant for EB-3 holders traveling internationally. USCIS issued new guidance limiting the age of photos used in immigration documents to a maximum of three years, effective immediately. This may require EB-3 petition filers or adjustment of status applicants to submit updated photographs and new biometrics depending on when their last photo was taken. On the enforcement front, the Trump administration announced plans to build seven large detention facilities capable of holding 80,000+ detainees total, signaling intensified interior enforcement that may affect undocumented individuals in the EB-3 pipeline awaiting status adjustment. While several items in this roundup — including the $100,000 H-1B fee dispute and H-2B filing windows — are not directly applicable to EB-3 workers, the broader enforcement climate, travel ban expansions, and USCIS procedural changes warrant close attention from EB-3 applicants, petitioners, and their counsel.