Federal Register Notices 2026

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

January 2026

Date	Title
January 30, 2025	This rule establishes the Gordie Howe International Bridge border crossing as a Class A port of entry for immigration purposes and as part of the port of Detroit for customs purposes. Establishing the Gordie Howe International Bridge border crossing is part of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) continuing program to use its personnel, facilities, and resources more efficiently and to provide better service to carriers, importers, and the general public. DATES: This final rule is effective March 2, 2026. CBP will notify the public when the Gordie Howe International Bridge border crossing is fully operational and open to the public for use through a notice published on the CBP website.
January 21, 2026	The Department of Justice (‘‘Department’’) is announcing inflationary adjustments to immigration-related fees for filings with the Executive Office for Immigration Review (‘‘EOIR’’) under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (‘‘OBBBA’’) for Fiscal Year (‘‘FY’’) 2026. OBBBA requires the Attorney General to annually adjust for inflation the OBBBA fees that EOIR collects. This notice sets out the EOIR-collected OBBBA fees for the remainder of FY 2026 and their effective dates. DATES: The fees announced in this notice are effective February 1, 2026. Any filing with an Immigration Court or the Board of Immigration Appeals postmarked on or after February 1, 2026, without the proper filing fee or an applicable request for fee waiver will be rejected.
January 16, 2026	This interim final rule (IFR) amends U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulations to remove the requirement that R–1 religious workers who have reached the maximum period of stay must reside abroad and be physically present outside the United States for one year before being eligible for readmission in R–1 status after departing from the United States upon reaching the maximum admission period. The purpose of this change is to promote stability and minimize disruptions to the vital services that R–1 religious workers provide to U.S. churches, mosques, synagogues, and other bona fide nonprofit religious organizations. DATES: This IFR is effective on January 16, 2026. Written comments and related material must be submitted on or before March 17, 2026. The electronic Federal Docket Management System will accept comments prior to midnight Eastern Time at the end of that day.
January 14, 2026	Based upon a review of the Administrative Record assembled in this matter, and in consultation with the Attorney General and the Secretary of the Treasury, I have concluded that there is a sufficient factual basis to find that the relevant circumstances described in section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended (hereinafter ‘‘INA’’) (8 U.S.C. 1189), exist with respect to: Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood (also known as al-Jamaa al-Islamiyah, Jamaa Islamiya, al-Jamaah al-Islamiyah, Jama’a Islamiyah, Jamaa Islamiyah, Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood, The Islamic Group, Islamic Group in Lebanon, al-Fajr Forces, The Fajr Forces, al-Fajer Forces, The Dawn Forces, Quwat al-Fajr). Therefore, I hereby designate the aforementioned organization and its respective aliases as a Foreign Terrorist Organization pursuant to section 219 of the INA. This determination shall be published in the Federal Register. The designation goes into effect upon publication. Dated: December 19, 2025.
January 14, 2026	Through this notice, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announces that the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) is terminating the designation of Somalia for Temporary Protected Status. The designation of Somalia is set to expire on March 17, 2026. After reviewing country conditions and consulting with appropriate U.S. Government agencies, the Secretary determined that Somalia no longer continues to meet the conditions for designation for Temporary Protected Status. The Secretary, therefore, is terminating the Temporary Protected Status designation of Somalia as required by statute. This termination is effective March 17, 2026. After March 17, 2026, nationals of Somalia (and aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided in Somalia) who have been granted Temporary Protected Status under Somalia’s designation will no longer have Temporary Protected Status. DATES: The designation of Somalia for Temporary Protected Status is terminated, effective at 11:59 p.m., local time, on March 17, 2026.
January 13, 2026	For the period beginning January 1, 2026, and ending on March 31, 2026, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Immigration Bond interest rate is 3 per centum per annum. DATES: Rates are applicable January 1, 2026, to March 31, 2026.

February 2026

Date	Title
February 27, 2026	On February 6, 2026, the Executive Office for Immigration Review (‘‘EOIR’’) published in the Federal Register the interim final rule (‘‘IFR’’) ‘‘Appellate Procedures for the Board of Immigration Appeals’’ with comments originally due March 9, 2026. This document extends the deadline for written comments to April 8, 2026. DATES: The comment period for the IFR published February 6, 2026, at 91 FR 5267, is extended. Comments must be received by EOIR no later than April 8, 2026.
February 23, 2026	The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposes to modify regulations governing applications for asylum and withholding of removal (asylum applications) and employment authorization based on a pending asylum application. The proposed rule would change filing and eligibility requirements for aliens requesting employment authorization and an employment authorization document (EAD) based on a pending asylum application. The changes include pausing acceptance of EAD applications from asylum applicants during periods when affirmative asylum average processing time exceeds 180 days, extending the waiting period to apply for employment authorization to 365 days, changing EAD application processing time requirements, and adding eligibility requirements. DATES: Comments on this proposed rule, including the proposed information collections, must be received on or before April 24, 2026. The electronic Federal Docket Management System will accept comments prior to midnight Eastern time at the end of that day.
February 17, 2026	The Secretary of Homeland Security has determined, pursuant to law, that it is necessary to waive certain laws, regulations, and other legal requirements in order to ensure the expeditious construction of barriers and roads in the vicinity of the international land border in the state of Texas. DATES: This determination takes effect on February 17, 2026.
February 13, 2026	The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), a component within the United States Department of Justice (DOJ or Department), is finalizing without changes its Privacy Act exemption regulations for the system of records titled, Adjudication and Appeal Records of the Office of the Chief Immigration Judge and Board of Immigration Appeals, JUSTICE/EOIR–001, which were published as a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on August 29, 2025. Specifically, the Department’s regulations will exempt the records maintained in JUSTICE/EOIR–001 from one or more provisions of the Privacy Act. The exemptions are necessary to protect properly classified information and law enforcement sensitive materials maintained in the system. The Department received one anonymous comment in support of this rulemaking in response to the NPRM. DATES: This final rule is effective March 16, 2026.
February 6, 2026	This interim final rule (‘‘IFR’’) amends Department of Justice (‘‘Department’’ or ‘‘DOJ’’) regulations to streamline administrative appellate review by the Board of Immigration Appeals (‘‘Board’’ or ‘‘BIA’’) of decisions by Immigration Judges by making review of such decisions on the merits discretionary, by setting appropriate times for briefing in cases that are reviewed on the merits, and by streamlining other aspects of the appellate process to ensure timely adjudications and avoid adding to the already sizeable backlog at the Board. Additionally, the Department is making various technical and non-substantive changes to its regulations. DATES: Effective date: This IFR is effective March 9, 2026.
February 3, 2026	The Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of Labor, is exercising time-limited Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 authority to issue up to, but not more than, an additional 64,716 visas for the fiscal year. All of these supplemental visas will be available only to those American businesses that are suffering or will suffer impending irreparable harm, i.e., those facing permanent and severe financial loss, as attested by the employer. These supplemental visas will be distributed in three allocations based on the petitioner’s start date of need through the end of the fiscal year. DATES: Effective Dates: This final rule is effective from January 30, 2026, through September 30, 2026, except for 20 CFR 655.69, which is effective from January 30, 2026, through September 30, 2029. Petition dates: DHS will not accept any H–2B petitions under provisions related to the FY 2026 supplemental numerical allocations after September 15, 2026, and will not approve any such H–2B petitions after September 30, 2026.

March 2026

Date	Title
March 26, 2026	Finding of Mass Influx of Aliens
March 16, 2026	Based upon a review of the Administrative Record assembled in this matter, and in consultation with the Attorney General and the Secretary of the Treasury, I have concluded that there is a sufficient factual basis to find that the relevant circumstances described in section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended (hereinafter ‘‘INA’’) (8 U.S.C. 1189), exist with respect to: Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood (also known as Muslim Brotherhood in Sudan; Sudanese Islamic Movement; al-Bara Bin Malik Brigade; al-Bara’ ibn Malik Brigade; al-Baraa bin Malik Battalion). Therefore, I hereby designate the aforementioned organization and its respective aliases as a Foreign Terrorist Organization pursuant to section 219 of the INA. This determination shall be published in the Federal Register. The designation goes into effect upon publication. Dated: March 8, 2026.
March 11, 2026	The Department of State (‘‘Department’’) is amending regulations governing the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (‘‘DV Program’’) to improve the integrity of, and combat fraud in, the program. These amendments require a petitioner to the DV Program to provide valid, unexpired passport information and to upload a scan of the biographic and signature page in the electronic entry form or to otherwise indicate that he or she is exempt from this requirement. Additionally, the Department is standardizing and amending its regulations to add the word ‘‘shall’’ to simplify guidance for consular officers; ensure the use of the term ‘‘sex’’ in lieu of ‘‘gender’’; and replace the term ‘‘age’’ in the DV Program regulations with the phrase ‘‘date of birth’’ to accurately reflect the information collected and maintained by the Department during the immigrant visa process. DATES: This rule is effective on April 10, 2026.
March 5, 2026	In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction of 1995 (PRA), the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), Department of Justice (DOJ), requested the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) conduct an emergency review and approval of a revision to a currently approved collection of information. EOIR requested and OMB granted emergency approval on March 2, 2026, authorizing the revised collection through July 31, 2026. EOIR is providing the public with an opportunity to comment on the proposed collection. DATES: Comments are encouraged and will be accepted for 60 days until May 4, 2026.
March 5, 2026	The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) at the Department of Justice (DOJ) will be submitting the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. DATES: Comments are encouraged and will be accepted for 60 days until May 4, 2026.
March 3, 2026	Through this notice, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announces that the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) is terminating the designation of Yemen for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). The designation of Yemen is set to expire on March 3, 2026. After reviewing country conditions and consulting with appropriate U.S. Government agencies, the Secretary determined that Yemen no longer continues to meet the conditions for designation for Temporary Protected Status. The Secretary, therefore, is terminating the Temporary Protected Status designation of Yemen as required by statute. This termination is effective May 4, 2026. After May 4, 2026, nationals of Yemen (and aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided in Yemen) who have been granted Temporary Protected Status under Yemen’s designation will no longer have Temporary Protected Status. DATES: The designation of Yemen for Temporary Protected Status is terminated, effective at 11:59 p.m., local time, on May 4, 2026.
March 2, 2026	The Executive Office for Immigration Review (‘‘EOIR’’) is implementing electronic filing and records applications for all cases before the Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer (‘‘OCAHO’’). This interim final rule (‘‘IFR’’) updates the relevant regulations necessary to implement these electronic filing and records applications, including by requiring certain users to file documents electronically and changing service of process methods. This IFR also includes several additional minor changes to OCAHO’s rules of practice and procedure to clarify and improve upon the existing regulatory language. DATES: Effective date: This IFR is effective March 2, 2026.

April 2026

Date	Title

May 2026

Date	Title

June 2026

Date	Title

July 2026

Date	Title

August 2026

Date	Title

September 2026

Date	Title

October 2026

Date	Title

November 2026

Date	Title

December 2026

Date	Title

Updated March 27, 2026