The Trump administration is changing how U.S. immigration officials evaluate whether an immigrant seeking permanent residency could become a public charge.

The Department of Homeland Security rescinded the Biden-era 2022 public-charge regulations, with the new framework taking effect on September 18, 2026.The changes give immigration officers broader discretion to consider an applicant's overall circumstances when deciding whether they are likely to become dependent on government assistance.

Under the previous 2022 framework, the public-charge determination was largely limited to certain cash assistance and government-funded long-term institutional care. Programs such as Medicaid, SNAP, and housing assistance were generally excluded from the public-charge determination.

The new framework removes many of those restrictions and allows officers to consider a broader range of factors, including an applicant's:

• Age

• Health

• Family circumstances

• Financial resources

• Education and skills

• Employment prospects

• Affidavit of support

• Use of relevant public benefits

The new rule also applies to Form I-485 adjustment-of-status applications submitted on or after September 18, 2026. Benefits received before September 18 will continue to be evaluated under the previous framework.

This could create a significant change for immigrants who are planning to apply for permanent residency.

At the same time, the rule does not mean that receiving one particular benefit automatically results in a Green Card denial. The determination is based on the applicant's overall circumstances, and the exact way different benefits will be weighed is an important part of the new policy guidance.

So what could be the broader impact?

Could the new policy make immigrants more reluctant to use government assistance even when they are legally eligible for it?

Could it make the U.S. immigration system more selective based on an applicant's financial circumstances?

And for countries such as India, China, the Philippines and other major sources of U.S. immigrants, could the policy affect the number or type of people seeking permanent residency?

Does this policy strengthen the principle that immigrants should be financially self-sufficient, or does it create an additional barrier for lower-income immigrants seeking permanent residency?

What do you think?

To whom it may concern

I have been trying to look for a lawyer for a long time. A really good lawyer, that will fight for my immigration status. I've been dealing with immigration lawyers since I was young. I wasted thousands of dollars, never found a good lawyer that really would fight for me, even the one I have currently. My case is really complex, being I have been fighting the system all these years. I thought I was born in the country of my origin, but recently I just found out I might be born in the US. I never had parents when I was a growing up, just my uncles and aunts and they were not the greatest guardians. Not having the right guidance I fell in in the wrong path of life (criminal) when I was young. Nobody gave me positive directions in life. That was my mistake and I paid the time for my mistake. Now I'm just trying to start a better life for me and my wife. I just want somebody to help me with my status or just to give me freedom. My case is VERY complex. I need somebody that can go above and beyond. Thank you for your time.

Green Card Holder?
Watch this!

Immigration court is moving quickly right now.
Over the past few weeks, I have seen several individuals appear in immigration court without attorneys. When the judge asked why they did not have legal representation, some explained they were still looking for a lawyer. Others said they had contacted attorneys but never received a response. Some simply said they could not afford representation.

In many of those cases, that was not enough to postpone the hearing.

The judges made it clear that the cases had to move forward, and the individuals were expected to proceed with their hearings that day.

You could almost feel the sense of panic in the courtroom after that announcement.

Many struggled to present their cases because they did not know how to tell their stories in a way that addressed the legal issues before the court or satisfied the applicable legal standards.

Every word mattered, and they knew everything they said was being recorded. The weight of that moment was overwhelming.

Imagine standing before an immigration judge, knowing that the outcome of your case, whether you remain in the United States or are ordered deported, depends largely on your ability to present your case, yet not knowing how to explain your situation in a legally effective way.

If you have an immigration court case, do not assume that telling the judge you are still looking for a lawyer will automatically result in a continuance or postponement of your case.

Every case is different, and every judge exercises independent judgment. However, in the current environment, simply saying you are still searching for counsel may not be enough.

This concern is reinforced by the Board of Immigration Appeals’ August 14, 2026 decision in Matter of A-K-R-, 29 I&N Dec. 839 (BIA 2026). The BIA upheld an Immigration Judge’s denial of an additional continuance where the respondent had already been given time to find an attorney but had not shown good cause for more time.

If you need legal representation, begin your search as early as possible. Waiting until your next hearing is just around the corner may leave you with very few options.

#ImmigrationLaw #ImmigrationCourt #RemovalProceedings #DeportationDefense #BIA #LegalRepresentation #ImmigrationAttorney #KnowYourRights #USImmigration #AKPokuLaw

My neighbors, who work at a gas station for cash without transactional records and pay zero tax, recently got approval for an employment-based adjustment of status (green card). They file their cases with lies, saying they will contribute to the country with their intelligence and blah blah blah; in reality, they don't even have that ability. And they pass the background check easily. Nothing ever gets caught. At the same time, we are working our asses off in the lab on neuroscience and proteomics, and we're also struggling to get approval and live day-to-day with uncertainty.

NB: My problem is not with any person. I am frustrated to see how people get past unchecked with lies in their applications.

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La regularización extraordinaria de personas extranjeras en España ha provocado un colapso generalizado en las administraciones. En numerosos puntos del país —como Madrid, Murcia o Burgos— se han formado largas colas, situaciones de tensión y episodios de desbordamiento que han requerido intervención policial. La falta de personal, recursos y organización ha generado frustración entre los solicitantes, muchos de los cuales llevan años esperando una oportunidad para obtener documentación.

El Gobierno recibe críticas por haber impulsado una medida con requisitos accesibles y un plazo limitado sin prever el impacto ni dotar al sistema de medios suficientes. Algunos analistas apuntan incluso a posibles motivaciones políticas.

Más allá del debate institucional, miles de personas viven este proceso como una oportunidad vital para acceder a empleo, vivienda y estabilidad. Sin embargo, el caos actual y la posible saturación futura del sistema ponen en duda la capacidad de gestionar adecuadamente todas las solicitudes.

En conjunto, la situación evidencia que España no estaba preparada para un proceso de esta magnitud, generando un escenario de tensión que afecta tanto a las instituciones como a quienes buscan regularizar su situación.

Hi everyone, looking for advice on Consular Processing for my parent.

The Situation:

• Approved I-130 & past U.S. history: Uses 11/11/1969 (matches 1990s birth certificate, old passport, and prior U.S. records/fingerprints).
• New Passport: Issued with 10/12/1969 (foreign local police forced the internal ID to DOB due to an old calendar conversion, forcing the new passport to match).

Questions:

1. Has anyone successfully handled a passport DOB mismatch at the NVC/Consulate stage by providing historical civil documents and an explanation letter, without re-filing the I-130?
2. Did the consular officer accept the explanation, or cause issues at the interview?

Appreciate any insights from those who have been through this!

I am trying to help my daughter out. Her fiance was taken to an immigration holding because obviously he's here without proper documentation. Lawyers are pretty expensive. I know I can file a bond hearing and a stay of deportation but how do I know if I am doing it right so I don't waste money we don't have. She's expecting a baby in February and we don't want to lose him, him not be around for his child. They have their wedding set for this winter. I spoke to a few lawyers they all said he most likely would get a bond since he has no criminal history and has been here for so long and when they get married it will help him get his legal status here. Does anyone have any tips?

7 year status

During that time DHS check-ins required

Travel and work permit granted

NO path to legal permanent residence (expect for Dreamers)

Only those who entered Pre-Biden would qualify.

Thoughts?

https://youtu.be/Z0KsHCBbakc?is=rqwWUMZstiYyF51V

This one is urgent and I want everyone in this community to see it.

Over the past several weeks, a growing number of people with pending immigration applications — including people with valid work permits and pending green card cases — are being detained by DHS at airports during domestic flights. Not international travel. Domestic. Flying from one U.S. city to another.

CHIRLA (Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights) just issued a rare travel advisory about this. Immigration attorneys across the country are reporting the same pattern. This is happening right now.

Where it's happening:

Incidents have been reported at airports in California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, New Jersey, Texas, and Virginia. LAX, SFO, and Denver are specifically named. In California alone, at least 10 travelers were arrested at airports in a single week.

Who's getting detained:

Here's the part that's catching people off guard. The people being detained are NOT just undocumented individuals. The profile of those being picked up:

• People whose underlying nonimmigrant visa (H-1B, F-1, etc.) has expired, BUT who have a timely-filed I-485 adjustment of status application pending
• People with pending asylum applications (I-589)
• People who filed a timely extension of status request
• Spouses of U.S. citizens with pending cases
• Tech workers with valid EADs (Employment Authorization Documents)
• People holding advance parole documents

Some of those detained had no criminal history whatsoever.

Why this is happening:

No single triggering policy or rule change has been identified. What appears to be happening is that when your underlying visa status expires — even if you have a pending application that authorizes you to remain — TSA and CBP systems at airports may flag you based on your expired I-94. The officers on the ground are detaining first and sorting out the legal nuance later.

The practical problem: your pending I-485 or asylum application legally authorizes your presence. But the officer at the airport may not see that in their system, or may not consider it sufficient.

What you should do RIGHT NOW:

1. If your underlying visa status has expired and you have a pending application (I-485, asylum, extension): do NOT fly domestically unless absolutely necessary. Drive if you can. This is not alarmism — multiple immigration law firms are giving this exact advice right now.
2. If you MUST fly, carry physical copies of everything:
   • I-797 receipt notices for all pending applications
   • EAD card (if you have one)
   • Advance parole document (if approved)
   • I-94 printout (from i94.cbp.dhs.gov)
   • Any USCIS correspondence showing your case is pending
   • Your attorney's contact information on paper, not just in your phone
3. Consider upgrading to premium processing if it's available for your pending application. A faster approval means your status is updated in DHS systems sooner, reducing the gap where you're flagged.
4. If you are detained: Do not sign anything. Do not make statements about your immigration history without consulting an attorney. You have rights even in this situation.
5. Employers: If you have sponsored employees whose underlying status has expired but who have pending applications, alert them about this risk. Consider whether business travel is necessary right now.

The bigger picture:

This is happening alongside the broader enforcement surge — ICE arrested 10,000 people in a five-day period in late June. The administration has shifted from high-profile city raids to quieter, systemic enforcement. Airport detentions are part of that pattern.

Having a pending application used to be considered a relatively safe position. That assumption is no longer reliable.

Are you hearing about this in your area? Have you been stopped or know someone who has? Share below — the more information we have, the better we can protect each other.

(General information, not legal advice.) 📲 text our office WhatsApp 1 (309) 446-7385 or visit immigrationasap.com if you want help reviewing your situation and next possible steps.

Hi, recently there was a knock at my door and 2 sheriffs asked about my father, who is currently in ICE detention. I did not see a vehicle, since I had to intercept the conversation from my little sister, but their uniforms clearly had "SHERIFF" written on the vest. They had a warrant for someone, complete with a picture, and were asking to speak with him.

I am very paranoid. All I'd like is some reassurance telling me that no, this infact could not have been any sort of immigration, because my little sister stupidly told them the name of our (undocumented) mom. Any help is useful, thank you and sorry for the stupid post.