US Suspends Immigrant Visa Interviews Globally as Court Blocks Key Green Card Policies 2026

The August 27, 2026 WR Immigration News Digest covers five major immigration developments affecting employment-based and family-based visa applicants. Most immediately, the U.S. Department of State has globally paused immigrant visa interviews at embassies and consulates worldwide while consular officers receive updated public charge training. Applicants with scheduled appointments are receiving cancellation notices, though the State Department has not announced when interviews will resume or whether nonimmigrant categories are affected. On the H-1B front, DHS has submitted a significant reform proposal to the Office of Management and Budget targeting three major areas: revisions to cap exemption eligibility, increased scrutiny of employers with prior violations, and expanded oversight of workers at third-party worksites. The proposal is classified as economically significant and remains confidential pending OMB review. No H-1B requirements have changed yet, and the full details will not be known until the proposed rule is published in the Federal Register for public comment. Also proposed is a dramatic new $103,265 fee per H-1B cap-subject petition, applied on top of existing filing fees. DHS estimates this would affect approximately 85,000 petitions annually, generating around $8.8 billion. Cap-exempt employers such as universities and nonprofit research organizations would not be subject to the fee. The rule is not in effect and must complete the full federal rulemaking process before taking effect. In a separate development, a federal court vacated a previously imposed immigrant visa suspension that had affected nationals from 75 countries, offering relief to applicants impacted by that ban. Meanwhile, USCIS is expanding its public charge review process for green card applicants, signaling heightened scrutiny regarding an applicant's potential dependence on government benefits — a development directly relevant to those pursuing adjustment of status. For EB-3 applicants and their employers, the global immigrant visa interview pause is the most immediate concern, as it delays consular processing indefinitely. The USCIS public charge expansion also directly affects adjustment of status cases. Employers are advised to monitor all ongoing rulemakings, consult immigration counsel, and proactively prepare public charge documentation, while avoiding changes to sponsorship strategies until proposed rules are formally published.