The U.S. government shutdown—one of the longest on record—has officially ended.
The House approved the funding bill by a vote of 222–209, following the Senate’s earlier approval. President Trump signed the legislation, restoring full government operations.

Federal agencies, including USCIS, ICE, CBP, and the immigration courts, will gradually return to normal processing. The funding extension lasts until January 30, 2026.

While USCIS had announced it would start rejecting submissions missing the required asylum fees as of August 21, 2025, a federal judge has issued a temporary injunction in ASAP v. USCIS.

👉 Asylum seekers are NOT currently required to pay these fees.
The policy is paused for now, and further updates are expected as the case continues.

In Matter of Yajure Hurtado, the Board of Immigration Appeals held that:

➡️ Individuals who entered the U.S. unlawfully and are later detained
➡️ Are no longer eligible for release on bond

This reverses long-standing law and will have serious consequences for families, communities, and detention practices. Many expect legal challenges to follow.

This week, one of our clients received both:
✔️ Approval of the removal of conditions on his green card, and
✔️ An interview notice for naturalization

We’re proud to support him on his journey to U.S. citizenship.

Today we’re celebrating a significant win for a client whose journey has been marked by resilience and courage.

Our client — a journalist from Russia — originally had to represent himself while detained, without any legal assistance. He did everything he could, but his case was denied. After his release, he came to our firm with only one option left: an appeal to the BIA.

As every immigration lawyer knows, BIA appeals are:
• highly technical,
• extremely deferential to the Immigration Judge, and
• rarely successful — especially after a pro se denial.

But we believed in him.
We believed in his testimony.
And we believed the law was on his side.

Last week, we received the decision:

✔️ The BIA granted the appeal
✔️ A three-judge panel reviewed the case
✔️ They overturned the decision of a notoriously difficult Immigration Judge

This victory changes the course of his life — and reminds us why this work matters.

If you found this update helpful, please forward it to your friends or family who might benefit.

You can also reply to this email with any questions — our team will be happy to assist you. You can schedule your appointment here.