By Felicia J. Persaud
News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Oct. 3, 2025: If you thought U.S. immigration policy had reached its peak drama, think again. In just a matter of days, the administration has dropped three major changes that will affect immigrants, employers, and even citizens-to-be. Here’s what you need to know in immigration news this week:
1: $100,000 H-1B Visa Petitions
In a stunning move, on September 19th, the President of the United States announced that H-1B visa petitions will now cost a staggering $100,000 each. The H-1B, for those who may not know, is a temporary visa category that allows U.S. employers to hire highly educated foreign professionals to work in specialty occupations that require at least a bachelor’s degree. Jobs in fields like engineering, mathematics, technology, and medical sciences often qualify.
Typically, an H-1B is valid for three years and can be extended to a maximum of six. The president’s proclamation, which took effect almost immediately – on September 21, 2025, sent hundreds of thousands of working professionals, employers, and immigration attorneys scrambling.
Military veterans hold a press conference to express support for a 70-year-old Air Force veteran who was shoved to the ground before being taken into custody for standing in a roadway while protesting last week outside of an immigrant processing and detention center on October 02, 2025 in Broadview, Illinois. The site has been the target of frequent protests as federal law enforcement agents continue Operation Midway Blitz in the Chicago area, an operation designed to apprehend and deport undocumented immigrants living in the area. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Employers will now be required to pay a one-time $100,000 fee per new petition – a shocking leap from the previous $2,000 – $5,000 fee depending on company size. According to the American Immigration Council, (AIC), the annual statutory cap is 65,000 visas, with 20,000 more available for those holding a U.S. master’s degree or higher. For FY 2025, the cap was reached on December 2, 2024, and USCIS conducted two rounds of selections to reach 135,137 beneficiaries after fewer petitions were submitted than expected.
The economic ripple effects will be felt nationwide. From FY 2017 to FY 2022, the New York City metro area led the nation with 372,100 H-1B petition approvals – about 15% of all approvals. San Jose, San Francisco, and Dallas followed. Between FY 2010 and FY 2019, eight major biotech firms involved in COVID-19 vaccine development, including Moderna, Gilead, and Johnson & Johnson, hired over 3,300 scientists through the H-1B program. Many medical doctors on the pandemic’s front lines also came on H-1B visas, AIC said.
Big Tech will be hit particularly hard. Amazon was the largest H-1B sponsor in FY 2025, employing over 10,000 visa holders, followed by Microsoft, Meta, Apple, Google, Cognizant, JPMorgan Chase, and Walmart. Indians dominate the program, making up more than 70% of recipients, with China in second at about 12%. In 2023, the median salary for new H-1B hires was $94,000 – far short of the new petition fee.
2: Changes To The U.S. Citizenship Test
Meanwhile, on September 18th, DHS and USCIS announced changes to the naturalization civics test. Immigrants who file for naturalization on or after October 20, 2025, will take the new 2025 version, which USCIS says better reflects congressional intent and restores integrity to the naturalization process.
Changes include stricter reviews of disability exceptions, guidance for officers to weigh positive contributions to society in determining “good moral character,” and the resumption of neighborhood investigations to verify eligibility. The agency also clarified that unlawful voting, unlawful voter registration and false claims to citizenship will bar applicants from naturalization.
3: Suspension Of TPS For Syrians
Finally, on September 19th, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Syria. “This is what restoring sanity to America’s immigration system looks like,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, adding that Syria’s conditions no longer justify protected status.
Syrians – many of whom have lived in the U.S. for more than a decade – now have 60 days to depart voluntarily back to a country that is unstable, lack jobs and where violence including kidnapping is still a major issue. Many of these immigrants were sending back money to help relatives in their home country who have no economic means of sustaining themselves. Now DHS is offering a CBP Home app “self-deportation” option that includes a complimentary plane ticket, a $1,000 exit bonus, and possible future immigration opportunities. After the deadline, remaining Syrians will face arrest, deportation, and a permanent ban on returning to the U.S.
The Bottom Line
These sweeping changes will reshape U.S. immigration policy – and lives. Whether it’s the sky-high cost of an H-1B, a tougher citizenship test, or the end of TPS protections, one thing is clear: the immigration landscape just got even more challenging for immigrants, employers and advocates alike.
Felicia J. Persaud is the founder and publisher of NewsAmericasNow.com, the only daily newswire and digital platform dedicated exclusively to Caribbean Diaspora and Black immigrant news across the Americas.
