National Immigration Project

If you or someone you know has a green card application in process, there's something happening at USCIS worth knowing about.

On May 22, USCIS issued a memo saying it would only grant adjustment of status—the process for applying for a green card without leaving the country—in "extraordinary circumstances." The memo doesn't change who's legally eligible, but it's already having an effect. Attorneys are reporting that interview officers are asking new questions and taking sworn statements.

We put together a full community explainer, available in English and Spanish, walking through what this memo says, what it does and doesn't change, and what people with pending cases are experiencing right now. Read it here: https://nipnlg.org/work/resources/whats-going-adjustment-status

Immigration courts have been scheduling what are being called “mega master” hearings — sometimes over 100 people in the same hearing slot at once. Many of those dates have been scheduled or moved up with little or no advance notice, and people who miss roll call are receiving deportation orders on the spot.

Missing a hearing — even by a few minutes, even if you never knew the date changed — can mean a deportation order that takes effect immediately and comes with a fine of $5,130 or more.

If you have a case in immigration court, or know someone who does, check your hearing date every day. You can do that using your A-number on the EOIR website or by calling 1-800-898-7180. If the date changed, contact your attorney right away.

We put together a full explainer, available in English & Spanish, on what these hearings are, what options exist if you’ve already received a removal order, and what to do next. https://nipnlg.org/work/resources/mega-master-hearings-fast-cases-and-bad-outcomes

“Everything related to these large dockets or mass dockets is shrouded in such a strange secrecy,” said Gracie Willis, an attorney with the National Immigration Project, a nonprofit that provides legal services for immigrants. “Our confirmation that they were even happening really came from going to the court on Monday and seeing the large lines of people standing outside,” she added, referring to the proceedings she observed in New Orleans.

Lawyers said that they had observed judges taking in groups of people at a time, despite their different pleadings and cases. In one instance, a judge saw 15 people at once, running through Arabic, Spanish and Creole interpretations, Ms. Willis said.

On Monday and Tuesday, 89 people in one court alone were declared absent, and were therefore deportable, she added. “And that is not because they were ‘the worst of the worst.’ It is because they had a hearing scheduled that they were not able to attend for a variety of reasons,” Ms. Willis said.

As Trump Pushes Deportations, a Skyrocketing Caseload Strains Immigration Courts (Gift Article) A federal surge has more than doubled caseloads within some immigration courts nationwide. Lawyers say the tactic is causing errors and confusion.

Join us in extending congratulations to our colleague Rebecca Scholtz, named the recipient of the American Immigration Lawyers Association's 2026 Edith Lowenstein Memorial Award for excellence in advancing the practice of immigration law.

Her work has been particularly vital in the area of Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) and issues impacting unaccompanied children, where she has built expertise over more than a decade through direct legal services, amicus briefing, practitioner training, legal resource and strategy development, and federal litigation. Her expert testimony in a recent habeas case was cited 45 times in a 57-page opinion ordering an SIJS-approved young man's release from ICE detention.

When Operation Metro Surge swept through the Twin Cities, Rebecca helped launch the Minnesota Habeas Project, trained over 300 lawyers in a matter of weeks, and supported more than 100 attorneys taking on complex habeas cases across multiple jurisdictions—all while continuing her litigation work in two class action lawsuits affecting tens of thousands of immigrant youth.

The full press release is at https://nipnlg.org/news/press-releases/national-immigration-project-attorney-rebecca-scholtz-receives-ailas-2026-edith.

New USCIS memo on adjustment of status — and there’s a lot to unpack.

Join us this Thursday for a grassroots & organizer meeting where we’ll break down what the memo actually means for people trying to adjust, and talk through how to share that information clearly with your communities.

Register at bit.ly/USCISmemo
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Nuevo memorando de USCIS sobre ajuste de estatus — hay mucho que analizar.

Únete a nosotros este jueves en una conversación sobre el nuevo memorando de USCIS, lo que este implica para personas que buscan ajustar su estatus, y mejores prácticas para compartir información con sus comunidades.

Regístrate aquí → bit.ly/USCISmemo

Immigration courts are being used to generate deportation orders in bulk—100 or more people in a single hearing, most without lawyers, many without real notice of a new hearing or that their date had changed.

We put out a statement today condemning these so-called "mega master" hearings. Read it here: https://nipnlg.org/news/press-releases/national-immigration-project-condemns-mega-master-hearings-mass-deportation

Membership renewal and first-time enrollment for the 2026–2027 year are now open!

The National Immigration Project is a community of attorneys, advocates, and organizers who share resources, build skills, and show up for immigrant rights together. Members span all 50 states — and whether you’re renewing or joining for the first time, we’d love to have you.

Learn more and sign up at https://nipnlg.org/membership.

📣 Registration is open for our 2026 Annual Crimes & Immigration Virtual Seminar — Thursday, June 11th on Zoom.

The full-day seminar for attorneys brings together leading voices in criminal immigration law for five sessions covering:
➡️ The categorical and modified categorical approach

➡️ Post-conviction pathways and pardons

➡️ The Laken Riley Act — what it does and how to push back

➡️ Recent BIA and circuit court developments in crime-based removal

➡️ Counseling clients with criminal records in today’s enforcement climate

Approved for 5.5 CLE credits by the WA and TX bars (CA pending). Group discounts available for organizations registering 5 or more people, and tuition assistance is available for those who need it.

💻 Register: https://secure.nationalimmigrationproject.org/np/clients/nationalimmigration/event.jsp?forwardedFromSecureDomain=1&event=2260

👉⚽️ The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in the U.S. this June, and millions of fans are expected to attend the games or participate in fan activities. But the excitement comes with real risks.

🚩The Trump administration has dramatically expanded immigration arrests, visa restrictions, travel bans, and police/ICE collaboration. Whether you’re flying in from abroad, driving across state lines, or navigating airports as a noncitizen already living here, knowing your rights is essential.

ℹ️ The full resource is available at the link in bio.
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👉🏟️ Los Estados Unidos será sede de la Copa Mundial de la FIFA este mes de junio. Se espera que millones de fans asistirán a los partidos o participarán en actividades para aficionados. Pero la emoción viene acompañada de riesgos reales.

🚩La administración Trump ha ampliado drásticamente los arrestos migratorios, las restricciones de visa, las prohibiciones de viaje y la colaboración entre la policía local y el ICE. Ya sea que estés viajando en avión desde el extranjero, conduciendo entre estados, o navegando aeropuertos como una persona no ciudadana que ya vive aquí, conocer tus derechos es esencial.

ℹ️ El recurso completo está disponible en el enlace en la biografía.