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On May 21, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued Policy Memorandum PM-602-0199 addressing how immigration officers should exercise discretion in adjustment of status (“AOS”) cases filed inside the United States. Although the memorandum does not eliminate adjustment of status eligibility under INA § 245, it signals a potentially significant shift toward heightened discretionary…

On December 2, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued Policy Memorandum titled: Hold and Review of all Pending Asylum Applications and all USCIS Benefit Applications Filed by Aliens from High-Risk Countries. This memo does much more than slow down asylum. It directly affects many applicants for: If you are from, or were born…

On Friday, September 19, 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed a Proclamation titled “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers.” This measure represents a dramatic shift in U.S. immigration policy and marks the first step in a series of reforms aimed at reshaping the H-1B program. The most significant change: a $100,000 supplemental fee for…

At The Ahluwalia Firm, we continue to achieve success in even the most complex marriage-based immigration cases, including those involving visa overstays, unauthorized entries, and prior immigration filings despite the stricter adjudication standards imposed by USCIS’s August 1, 2025 policy update. USCIS’s New Policy: A Tighter Standard of Review On August 1, 2025, USCIS implemented…

Applying for U.S. citizenship through naturalization is one of the most important steps in an immigrant’s journey. Along with meeting residency and language requirements, every applicant must show that they are a person of Good Moral Character (GMC). On August 15, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released new guidance restoring a holistic “totality…

Effective August 1, 2025, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued new guidance that significantly raises the bar for marriage-based green card applications. This update aims to strengthen fraud detection, tighten legal scrutiny, and ensure compliance with U.S. immigration laws. Official USCIS Memo: https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/policy-manual-updates/20250801-FamilyBasedImmigrants.pdf At The Ahluwalia Firm, we help couples throughout San Jose,…

If you’ve applied for a green card through marriage and received an interview notice from the San Jose USCIS Field Office, congratulations, you’re one step closer to permanent residency. However, this interview is more than a formality. It is a critical step where USCIS determines whether your marriage is genuine and meets the legal standards…

Welcome to the official blog of The Ahluwalia Firm, a San Jose–based immigration law office committed to empowering individuals, families, and businesses with clear, timely, and compassionate legal guidance. Whether you are navigating the complexities of a family-based petition, pursuing a U.S. work visa, or responding to a USCIS Request for Evidence (RFE), our blog…