Welcome to the Garfinkel Immigration news roundup, where every month we will summarize and provide links to the latest stories impacting U.S. immigration.
Below is the March 2025 edition of the Garfinkel Immigration news roundup:
DHS announces requirement, procedure for foreign nationals who have not previously registered with government
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on March 10, 2025, enforcement of national registration requirements for foreign nationals.
DHS said in a press release it will begin strictly enforcing Section 262 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which requires all foreign nationals 14 years of age or older to register and provide fingerprints to the federal government if they plan on remaining in the United States for 30 days or longer.
Specifically, the registration requirement mandates that:
- Noncitizens over 14 years old register and be fingerprinted within 30 days of entry.
- All registered noncitizens over 18 years old must carry proof of registration at all times.
- Failure to comply can result in fines up to $5,000 or six months imprisonment.
Additionally, parents or legal guardians are responsible for registering their foreign national children within 30 days of turning 14 years of age, even if they were already previously fingerprinted and registered.
It is important to note that many foreign nationals have already met the registration requirement during the process of applying for an immigrant and/or nonimmigrant visa and are NOT required to register under the new process.
Understanding and preparing for government worksite visits: A guide for employers, business owners, and HR professionals
Written by Ana Delgado Hualde, Esq., Associate Attorney.
Government worksite visits and audits related to immigration compliance increased significantly in the first Trump administration, and they are expected to rise again during his second term in the White House.
These audits can impact an organization’s ability to hire and retain foreign talent, result in fines, and lead to other penalties in some severe cases.
Garfinkel Immigration Law Firm’s newest white paper provides an overview of the different types of federal worksite audits, how to prepare, the best practices for proactive compliance, and how to respond if your company is audited.
Read the full white paper here.
How churches, other religious organizations can sponsor workers for U.S. visas
Churches and religious institutions can use certain visa options to sponsor foreign national workers, ensuring that they can fill roles such as ministers, missionaries, religious instructors and more.
In this blog, Partner Meredith W. Barnette outlines and discusses the available nonimmigrant and immigrant visa categories available for religious workers.
To solve for doctor shortages, states ease licensing for foreign-trained physicians
The U.S. is facing a doctor shortage, with rural and underserved communities feeling some of the biggest impacts. One potential solution? Tapping into the pool of foreign-trained physicians.
A recent NPR story highlights the ways in which at least nine states “have made it easier for doctors who trained in other countries to get medical licenses” in the U.S. “More than a dozen other states” are considering similar legislation, according to NPR.
Find out more via NPR and contact Garfinkel Immigration Law Firm to learn more about the immigration options available for physicians and other healthcare workers.
Trump administration weighs closure of nearly a dozen diplomatic missions abroad
The Trump administration is considering closing close to “a dozen consulates that are mainly in Western Europe,” according to this report from Reuters.
“The State Department is also looking into potentially merging a number of its expert bureaus at its headquarters in Washington that are working in areas such as human rights, refugees, global criminal justice, women’s issues and efforts to counter human trafficking, the officials said,” the story read.
The story continued: “Leipzig, Hamburg and Dusseldorf in Germany, Bordeaux, Rennes, Lyon and Strasbourg in France, and Florence in Italy were among a list of smaller consulates that the State Department is considering shutting down, three officials said, adding that could still change as some staff were making a case for them to stay open.”
U.S. immigration service wants to review applicants’ social media accounts
The Trump administration wants to “access and review the social media accounts of any person applying for citizenship, residency or asylum in the U.S.,” as detailed in this story by Forbes.
The proposal was published in the Federal Register in early March and “notes that USCIS conducted a review of the information it collects for applications and the agency identified the need to collect social media identifiers…from applicants,” according to Forbes. The story adds that the agency argues the proposal is “is necessary to comply with one of President Donald Trump’s executive orders on immigration.”
Comments about the proposal will be accepted until May 5.