Latest update
- 1Removal orders · Effective Oct 14, 2026
DHS can now fine people who don't leave
A joint DHS and Justice Department final rule, effective October 14, 2026, lets DHS impose civil fines on people who do not leave within their voluntary departure period, who willfully fail to leave after a final removal order, or who are caught entering or trying to enter the United States unlawfully. Under the final rule, ICE may accept a late appeal when documented mail delays outside the person's control caused it.
Have an old removal order or a missed departure date? Talk to a lawyer before a fine arrives.
DHS and DOJ joint final rule
- 2Board of Immigration Appeals
The appeal fee went up
The fee for a Notice of Appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals rose from $1,030 to $1,060. The new fee depends on the date the appeal is filed, not the date the fee was paid. An appeal filed with the old fee may be rejected, which can cost a client the 30-day appeal deadline.
The wrong fee can get an appeal rejected, and the deadline to appeal is only 30 days.
EOIR fee schedule
- 3Diversity Visa (green card) lottery
A court ordered DV-2027 registration reopened
A federal judge in San Diego issued a preliminary injunction ordering the State Department to reopen registration for the 2027 Diversity Visa lottery, announce the dates and procedures, and allow a 30-day registration period. The order can still change on appeal.
Apply only on the official State Department website. Never pay an "agent" to enter.
Preliminary injunction · may change on appeal · Official website