Legal
Supreme Court Greenlights Trump Administration’s TPS Terminations and Asylum Metering Policy
On June 25, the Supreme Court issued two major immigration rulings with far-reaching consequences for hundreds of thousands of noncitizens. The Court ruled that the Secretary of Homeland Security’s decisions to terminate Temporary Protected Status for Haiti and Syria are not judicially reviewable, effectively insulating the administration’s TPS terminations from challenge in the courts. The majority declined to engage with evidence of racially discriminatory intent, accepting any race-neutral rationale offered by the government as legally sufficient.
The Court also ruled on the legality of “metering” at ports of entry, under which Border Patrol officers turned asylum seekers away from ports of entry and placed them on waitlists rather than processing their claims. The majority characterized metering as merely a “delay” rather than a denial of asylum access, a framing the dissent sharply rejected as contradicting documented reality. Advocates note the opinion may be read narrowly, as the majority framed the policy as a response to capacity constraints.
The TPS ruling does not immediately terminate status; a lower court must first issue an implementing order, a process that typically takes 32 days. The decision directly affects more than 350,000 Haitian and Syrian TPS holders, with a broader impact expected across the more than 1.3 million individuals affected by the administration’s various TPS terminations. Many TPS holders from Venezuela, Honduras, Nicaragua, Nepal, Cameroon, and Afghanistan have already lost status due to earlier terminations that preceded this ruling. Advocates caution against fraud and misinformation, as community members seek guidance amid widespread confusion over work permit expiration timelines that vary by country. Forum President and CEO Jennie Murray called on Congress to act to protect TPS holders who have been “working and contributing to American communities for years,” warning that the imminent termination of TPS for Haiti will disrupt thousands of lives, harm communities that have integrated TPS holders, and remove essential workers from sectors of the American economy that rely on their contributions.
Earlier in the week, the Supreme Court also sided with the government in a dispute over the rights of green card holders accused of committing a crime, a decision that strengthens the government’s hand in detaining and deporting lawful permanent residents facing criminal charges. All eyes now turn to the Court’s remaining decisions for the term, with the birthright citizenship ruling anticipated the week of June 30 in a case that could redefine the scope of the Fourteenth Amendment and affect hundreds of thousands of U.S.-born children of undocumented and temporary visa holders.
Federal Judge Blocks ICE Arrests at Immigration Courts Nationwide
On June 23, a federal judge in the Northern District of California issued a 71-page ruling vacating the Trump administration’s policies allowing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to make arrests at immigration courthouses nationwide, finding the agency’s conduct “arbitrary and capricious.” The case was brought by two asylum seekers who were arrested after leaving routine hearings at the San Francisco immigration court. The ruling effectively reinstated Biden-era policies that limited courthouse arrests to narrow circumstances involving public safety threats and capped short-term detention at 12 hours, down from the 72-hour limit ICE had been operating under.
The judge found that the policy had a documented “chilling effect” on noncitizens’ willingness to attend court proceedings — a factor ICE itself had previously identified as a critical concern when it established its 2021 courthouse arrest restrictions — and that the agency had failed to rationally explain why it reversed those protections. The ruling also vacated a parallel policy by the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) removing limits on courthouse arrests. A related case in New York had earlier restricted arrests at two Manhattan immigration courthouses after DOJ attorneys admitted making a “factual error” by claiming that ICE’s 2025 policy applied to immigration courts. The ruling marks the first time such a prohibition has been applied nationwide.
Federal Court Allows ICE to Resume Rapid Deportations After Trump Administration Appeal
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on June 23 granted the Trump administration’s request to stay a lower court injunction that had blocked the expanded use of expedited removal nationwide, allowing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to resume rapidly deporting individuals without a hearing before an immigration judge. The administration had expanded expedited removal to apply to any undocumented immigrant anywhere in the country who cannot prove they have been in the United States for more than two years. A district court had blocked the expansion earlier this year, but the D.C. Circuit’s ruling allows the policy to take effect while litigation continues.
Expedited removal allows ICE officers to deport individuals without judicial review, bypassing the immigration court process entirely. Critics and civil liberties advocates have argued the expansion dramatically increases the risk of wrongful deportation, including of U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and individuals with valid asylum claims who may not be able to quickly document their presence in the country.
Federal
Proposed Rule Would Make Naturalization Fees More Expensive for Applicants
On June 23, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a proposed rule that would increase the price of filing for naturalization by approximately 75% to 83%, depending on the form and whether the application is filed online or on paper. Additionally, the proposal would eliminate fee waivers and the reduced-fee option for applicants with household incomes at or below 400% of the federal poverty level. However, fee exemptions for qualified current and former military service members would remain in place.
According to a DHS statement issued on June 22, “the purpose of the proposed rule is to periodically adjust fees to recover the full cost of their adjudication.” DHS argues that “the current fees established under the previous administration fail to cover the cost of necessary screening and vetting checks under President Trump’s Executive Orders.” However, advocates have pushed back, stating that the proposed rule creates an “undue hurdle that burdens those who only want to be recognized in the last step of their American Dream.” Overall, many fear that the proposed rule would make naturalization significantly more difficult to afford, placing U.S. citizenship further out of reach for many eligible residents. The proposal is currently open for public comment, with written comments due by August 24.
Expanded H-2A Guidance Offers Relief to Dairy Farmers Facing Worker Shortages
On June 17, the Trump administration issued new guidance clarifying that dairy operations may qualify to hire workers through the H-2A temporary agricultural visa program if they can demonstrate a temporary or seasonal labor need. The guidance establishes that dairy work qualifies as agricultural labor, and that dairy farms, although operating year-round, may still experience temporary or seasonal workforce shortages that make them eligible to petition for H-2A workers.
The update could provide relief to dairy farmers who have faced difficulty accessing the H-2A program because of the industry’s year-round labor needs. Traditionally, H-2A visas are used for temporary or seasonal agricultural work, leaving many dairy operations without a reliable legal pathway to fill recurring labor gaps. The new guidance doesn’t create a new visa category or remove existing H-2A requirements, but it clarifies that dairy operations are not automatically excluded from eligibility if they are able to satisfy the program’s standards.
The change comes during broader concerns about the agricultural workforce and the role of immigrant workers in the US food supply. Immigrant farmworkers play a critical role in sustaining the nation’s agricultural sector, including dairy production, crop harvesting, and food processing. While the expanded guidance may help some dairy farms address immediate labor needs, advocates continue to argue that Congress should pursue broader reforms that provide long term stability for farmworkers, employers, and the food supply chain.
BILLS INTRODUCED AND CONSIDERED
H.R. 9375
Honor Their Service Act
The bill authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to award grants to eligible entities to provide immigration legal services to noncitizen veterans.
Sponsored by Rep. Norma J. Torres (D-California) (0 cosponsors)
06/18/2026 Introduced by Rep. Torres
06/18/2026 Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
H.R. 9361
Worst of the Worst Act
The bill directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to create and maintain a publicly accessible database that contains information about each criminal alien who is released from custody
Sponsored by Rep. Ralph Norman (R-South Carolina) (0 cosponsors)
06/18/2026 Introduced by Rep. Norman
06/18/2026 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary
H.R. 9365
HEART Act of 2026
The bill directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish an office to assist communities in providing mental health services to individuals experiencing fear-based trauma related to immigration law enforcement actions taken by Federal agencies.
Sponsored by Rep. Luz M. Rivas (D-California) (2 cosponsors)
06/18/2026 Introduced by Rep. Rivas
06/18/2026 Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce
H.R. 9447
Getting Terrorist Fanatics Out (GTFO) Act
The bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide for denaturalization of certain persons who provide support for terrorism.
Sponsored by Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas) (3 cosponsors)
06/24/2026 Introduced by Rep. Van Duyne
06/24/2026 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary
H.R. 9457
Diversity Visa Protection and Modernization Act
The bill would prevent unauthorized Diversity Immigrant Visa program-wide suspension, ensure transparency and congressional oversight of executive action.
Sponsored by Rep. Yvette D. Clarke (D-New York) (28 cosponsors)
06/25/2026 Introduced by Rep. Clarke
06/25/2026 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary
H.R. 9479
The Remigration Act
The bill establishes grounds for revocation of citizenship and immigration status, to review certain asylum and refugee grants, and require repatriation of denaturalized individuals with their children.
Sponsored by Rep. Andrew Ogles (R-Tennessee) (1 cosponsor)
06/25/2026 Introduced by Rep. Ogles
06/25/2026 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary
H.R. 9456
To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to restrict the eligibility of aliens to receive supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits to aliens admitted to the United States as lawful permanent residents and who thereafter lawfully reside in the United States for at least 10 years
Sponsored by Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tennessee) (0 cosponsors)
06/25/2026 Introduced by Rep. Burchett
06/25/2026 Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture
H.Res. 1375
Reaffirming the importance of the United States promoting the safety, health, and well-being of refugees and displaced persons in the United States and around the world
Sponsored by Rep. Ted Lieu (D-California) (34 cosponsors)
06/18/2026 Introduced by Rep. Lieu
06/18/2026 Referred to the Committees on Foreign Affairs and Judiciary
S.Res. 775
A resolution reaffirming the importance of the United States promoting the safety, health, and well-being of refugees and displaced persons in the United States and around the world
Sponsored by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire) (27 cosponsors)
06/17/2026 Introduced by Sen. Shaheen
06/17/2026 Referred to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
LEGISLATIVE FLOOR CALENDAR
The U.S. House is scheduled to be in session from Monday, June 29, through Thursday, July 2. The U.S. Senate is scheduled to be in recess until July 13.
UPCOMING HEARINGS AND MARKUPS
“Sanctuary Policies: Victims’ Perspectives”
Date: Tuesday, June 30, 2026 at 2:00 PM ET (House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement)
Location: 2141 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C.
Witnesses: To be announced
SPOTLIGHT ON NATIONAL IMMIGRATION FORUM RESOURCES
The Forum is constantly publishing new policy-focused resources that engage with some of the most topical issues around immigration today. Here are a few that are particularly relevant this week:
Explainer: Proposed Restrictions on Employment Authorization for Certain Noncitizens
Immigrants and Apprenticeships
Explainer: USCIS Memorandum on Adjustment of Status Within the United States
Reclassifying ‘Applicants for Admission’: How the Second Trump Administration is Reshaping Mandatory Detention
The Consequences of Net Negative Migration in 2025: Implications for the U.S. Economy, Workforce, and Global Competitiveness
*As of publication (6/26/26 at 2:30 PM EST)
This Bulletin is not intended to be comprehensive. Please contact Nicci Mattey, Senior Policy & Advocacy Associate at the Forum, with questions, comments, and suggestions for additional items to be included. Nicci can be reached at nmattey@forumtogether.org. Thank you.