2026年5月21日，美国公民及移民服务局（USCIS）发布了政策备忘录 PM-602-0199，标题为 “调整身份属于自由裁量权和行政恩惠事项，是允许申请人免除常规领事签证程序的特殊救济”。随后发布的新闻稿强调，根据《移民与国籍法》第245条（INA § 245），调整身份（AOS）一般仅在特殊情况下才会获得批准。该政策并未取消您提交I-485表格的权利，也未改变法定资格规则。但它标志着移民局回归更严格、传统的法律解释：调整身份是一项属于自由裁量权行使范畴的行政恩惠，而非权利。移民局官员现在必须更严格地权衡全部情况，并通常期望大多数申请人通过海外领事程序（移民签证）获得绿卡，而不是在美国境内调整身份。

2023年10月11日，移民局就EB-5所需投资时间框架及与终止地区中心相关的投资者提供了额外指南。

在投资者的投资已满足创造就业要求的前提下，INA现在只要求投资必须预计将被投资至少两年。如果投资者在提交I-526或I-526E申请时投资已超过两年，按照新政策，投资者在提交相关申请之后，是可以收回其投资的。

2023年9月12日，美国移民局就基于就业的一类优先杰出人才及研究人员和教授绿卡申请需要提交的证据材料做了最新澄清。我们认为，这个澄清显然比较与时俱进，更加贴近现实，也更显灵活。本文就我们认为澄清中有意思的部分简要介绍如下：

在基于婚姻的两年条件绿卡期间离婚或婚姻无效后，条件绿卡持有人仍然有机会申请豁免共同申请去除条件要求、自己单独申请去除条件并获得永久绿卡。这个过程可能比较复杂，但并不是不可能的。重要的是，条件绿卡持有人能够根据自身情况提供充分的证据来证明其婚姻是真实、合法的，婚姻的终结或无效不是因为受益人的过错，或者是因为婚姻他方的家庭暴力导致的。

On July 14, 2023, USCIS has updated its list of frequently asked questions regarding EB-1 applicants, which is available at Fiscal Year 2023 Employment-Based Adjustment of Status FAQs | USCIS

直接通过我们、而不是移民中介，投资80万美元到美国移民局指定区域中心项目，您既能获得专业且高质量的服务，又能省去与中介有关的费用（包括低于通过中介需支付的项目管理费），最后成功获得绿卡。

Self-lawyering refers to individuals representing themselves in legal matters rather than hiring a lawyer. This trend is driven by consumers' lack of accessibility, transparency, and control over the legal process, along with its high cost. The rise of self-lawyering in immigration matters is being supported by state judicial systems and regulators and reinforced by the growth of technology. The limited availability of immigration lawyer information online and the lack of control that clients have in an immigration representation are also factors pushing individuals towards self-lawyering. Corporate consumers are also beginning to adopt the do-it-yourself model for immigration services by employing in-house counsel to handle routine tasks. The trend of self-lawyering is similar to the disruption seen in other industries by the growth of technology and the Internet.

The recent mass layoffs by big tech companies have had a significant impact on H-1B visa petitions. With the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, many tech companies have been forced to make cuts, leading to a sharp decrease in the demand for H-1B visa workers, and even new hires freeze. The decrease or freeze may open up more visa slots for non-tech workers who are seeking to work in other industries in the U.S. since each year the H-1B visa cap has been the same for years.

持续至今的乌俄战争对人们的生活产生了或多或少、不同程度的影响。2022年4月，美国公民及移民服务局（USCIS）专门为乌克兰出台了相关政策。这里仅谈一个以持有高级学位的专业人士身份申请美国职业移民（EB-2）及国家利益豁免（“National Interest Waiver,” NIW）、运用乌俄战争对石油和天然气造成的影响来证明国家重要性但不成功的案例。

美国公民及移民法(INA) § 237(2)(A)(i)及§ 212(2)(A)(i) 规定了关于道德败坏的犯罪（"Crime Involving Moral Turpitude，" CIMT）可能导致在美国的非公民被遣返或非公民申请入境时不被批准入境或不被批准在美国境内调整身份。被遣返需要CIMT罪名成立；如果外国人被告上诉，在上诉过程中则不能被遣返。外国人如果CIMT罪名成立，甚至承认犯下了CIMT罪名，都可能被拒绝入境或不被批准在美国境内调整身份。

谨让我们，Altaffer & Chen PLLC, 一家位于美国德克萨斯州达拉斯市的律师事务所，祝您和家人度过一个充满祥和、欢乐和希望的兔年春节！祝您和家人在兔年收获平安、健康和开心！心想事成！

Attorney Lunbing Chen Altaffer is the co-founder and current managing member of Altaffer & Chen PLLC, a law firm based in Dallas, Texas.  In 2022, Attorney Chen significantly participated in two successful EB-1A petitions, which USCIS granted quickly upon respective receipt of each request for premium processing without RFE (request for evidence). One petitioner was a fund manager, and another was an environmental expert.