This week’s biggest headline from the Department of Homeland Security comes as the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced it will empower its own special agents as law enforcement officers. Starting October 6, USCIS teams will gain new authority to investigate, make arrests, and execute search warrants for immigration-related crimes. According to USCIS, this aims to “take investigations from start to finish” in-house, strengthening oversight on fraud, national security, and public safety linked to benefits adjudications.

Another major development—DHS just published its latest regulatory agenda, revealing significant shifts in immigration policy. Since January, workplace enforcement actions are now permitted in all locations and new social media screening rules for some visa applicants are in place, which could mean longer processing times and stricter documentation. Foreign nationals must also comply with updated alien registration requirements under the Immigration and Nationality Act. For those applying for asylum, there’s now a fee structure in effect as of July, impacting budgets for applicants and potential sponsoring organizations.

Big changes are underway for the H-1B visa program. As of this year, the system uses a “beneficiary-centric” lottery, focusing on individual applicants to help stop duplicate entries. There are also smoother renewal processes for certain H-1B cases, streamlining business hiring and reducing administrative headaches for HR teams. Employers now face increased oversight, as highlighted by the Department of Labor’s launch of Project Firewall—an initiative for stricter H-1B compliance, with the Secretary of Labor personally certifying some investigations and imposing penalties where violations occur.

DHS actions are already rippling across the country. For American citizens, these measures promise heightened security—and in some states identified by the administration as “sanctuary jurisdictions,” DHS now requires strict eligibility checks for access to federal programs, potentially impacting benefit delivery and state-federal relations. Businesses, particularly those relying on skilled immigrants, need to navigate new lottery rules, compliance audits, and document procedures. Universities sponsoring international students face new admission requirements as DHS shifts from “duration of status” to fixed periods of stay for F and J visas, meaning more frequent renewals and extra paperwork for both students and universities. On the international front, recent visa restrictions and tougher enforcement signal a stricter U.S. posture, possibly influencing relationships with governments perceived as facilitating unlawful migration.

DHS Secretary emphasized, “We are committed to a fair but firm immigration system that protects Americans, enforces the law, and honors our values.” Experts urge organizations and individuals to stay current on deadlines and compliance guidance, with most new rules either in effect or rolling out before year’s end.

Listeners can engage by reviewing changes directly on DHS and USCIS websites, consulting legal counsel for complex cases, and participating in public comment periods on proposed rules. Coming up, keep an eye on additional guidance about F and J visa changes, enforcement updates, and state-federal funding discussions around sanctuary designations.

For more news and analysis, visit dhs.gov or uscis.gov. Thanks for tuning in—be sure to subscribe to stay informed on what’s next in homeland security. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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