The Hire American Act mandates that only U.S. citizens or nationals can be employed by the federal government, with specific exceptions for translators, emergency field workers, international broadcasters, and short-term wildland firefighters. To enforce this rule, the bill requires new hires to sign an affidavit confirming their citizenship status and allows for penalties of fines or imprisonment for individuals who knowingly provide false information. The Office of Personnel Management is tasked with issuing implementation guidance within 180 days and must publish reports detailing any non-citizen appointments made under the allowed exceptions. Additionally, the law extends these employment restrictions to include employees of the United States Postal Service and the Postal Regulatory Commission.
The Prioritizing American Talent Act prevents the Department of Homeland Security from using funds to process work permits for foreign students and special immigrants unless Congress explicitly authorizes their employment. This restriction applies specifically to individuals classified under sections 101(a)(15)(F) and (M) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, effectively halting the approval of their employment authorization applications. Additionally, the bill requires the rescission of any unspent fees collected for processing these specific applications that are not backed by congressional authorization. The Department of Homeland Security must determine and withdraw these funds within 30 days of the law's enactment.
The American White-Collar Worker Jobs Act of 2026 primarily targets H-1B visa holders by tightening rules to protect U.S. workers and limit the number of foreign employees admitted. It requires employers to prove they have tried to hire qualified Americans first, pay wages at the 75th percentile, and ensure they do not displace or lay off U.S. staff within a year of hiring a nonimmigrant. The bill also caps the total number of H-1B visas at 65,000 annually, prioritizes applicants with higher salaries, and restricts the maximum stay to two years. Additionally, it grants the Department of Labor the authority to investigate violations, impose fines, and ban employers from using H-1B workers for up to a decade if they break the rules.
This bill prohibits individuals who have worked for specific Chinese military companies or foreign institutions linked to security concerns from entering the United States or remaining in the country. It directly affects immigrants and current residents by adding these specific employers to the list of entities whose employees are barred under immigration laws. The key mechanism involves updating existing statutes to declare anyone employed by these designated groups inadmissible and deportable. Essentially, the law bans people with ties to these particular organizations from working in the U.S. or staying here legally.
The Illegal Immigration Cost Recovery Act increases civil penalties for employers who hire unauthorized workers and for individuals who fail to leave the country or enter improperly. Specifically, the bill raises fines for hiring violations from a maximum of $2,000 to $11,448 and increases penalties for unauthorized entry and failure to depart to a maximum of $1,000 and $1,996, respectively. These higher fines apply to the relevant employers and individuals starting on October 1, 2027, with amounts adjusted annually for inflation based on the Consumer Price Index. The law also requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to publish these updated penalty figures in the Federal Register each year.
The Mandatory E-Verify Act of 2026 makes the E-Verify employment eligibility verification system permanent and mandatory for all employers in the United States, including those who hire, recruit, or refer individuals for jobs. The bill requires employers to use the system within a phased timeline based on company size, ranging from six months for large businesses with 10,000 or more employees to 18 months for smaller businesses with fewer than 20 employees, while exempting agricultural labor verification until 18 months after enactment. Key provisions include increased civil and criminal penalties for non-compliance, the ability for the government to debar repeat violators from federal contracts, and a requirement that states sharing driver's license data with the system remain eligible for certain federal funding. Additionally, the act establishes a self-check feature for individuals to verify their own status, expands data sharing between federal and state agencies to prevent fraud, and creates a good-faith defense for employers who rely on the system's results.
The PATH Act allows public housing agencies and owners to establish minimum work requirements for residents receiving federal housing assistance, effective January 1, 2027. These requirements can mandate up to 40 hours per week of activities such as employment, job training, or community service, but they must exclude individuals under 18 or over 62, people with disabilities, pregnant women, and parents of young children. Agencies implementing these rules must provide supportive services like childcare and job search assistance, maintain uniform standards for all tenants in a program, and offer exceptions for those facing hardships like temporary relocation or difficulty finding work. If a resident fails to comply with the work requirements, the agency may terminate their housing assistance after following specific procedural rules.
The OPT Fair Tax Act modifies federal tax and Social Security rules to exempt Optional Practical Training (OPT) from being classified as employment for F-1 student visa holders. By amending the Internal Revenue Code and the Social Security Act, the bill ensures that students participating in OPT do not have to pay Social Security or Medicare taxes during their training periods. This change directly affects international students in the United States who are completing practical work experience related to their field of study. The legislation applies to all services performed after the date the bill is enacted.
This bill, known as the ASSIMILATION Act, fundamentally restructures the U.S. immigration system by replacing family-based and lottery-based admissions with a merit-based approach that prioritizes economic self-sufficiency and national interest. It directly affects prospective immigrants, current visa holders, and employers by establishing new requirements for entry, employment, and naturalization. Key provisions eliminate the diversity visa lottery, restrict family-sponsored immigration to spouses and minor children, and mandate that all immigrants demonstrate the ability to support themselves without relying on government benefits. The legislation also introduces stricter enforcement measures, such as making visa overstays a criminal offense, expanding E-Verify to all employers, and requiring higher English proficiency and tax compliance for citizenship. Additionally, it tightens asylum rules by adding a transit bar for those passing through other countries and limits parole to specific humanitarian cases rather than broad programs.
The Northern Mariana Islands Workforce Improvement Act modifies immigration rules to allow certain long-term workers to stay longer in the region. Specifically, it permits aliens who began working there in 2015 and returned in two subsequent years between 2016 and 2019 to receive three-year work permits instead of the standard one-year limit. These extended permits can be renewed for additional three-year periods, but they still count toward the annual cap on foreign workers. The changes apply to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and take effect as if included in a previous law from 2018.
