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H-1B Visa renewals face tougher reviews under Trump proposal
DHS plans to eliminate the 'deference policy' for visa renewals, requiring USCIS officers to re-evaluate extension applications even when applicant details remain unchanged.
This proposal aims to reverse a 2024 Biden administration policy prioritizing efficient processing, as officials now argue that scrapping deference strengthens oversight to protect American workers.
Around 208,000 annual extension applications will be affected, with H-1B filings comprising around 75 percent of the total; DHS stated the change 'would better align DHS regulations with the statute.'
Scheduled for publication in the Federal Register on Wednesday, the proposal begins a 30-day comment period; current renewal applications remain unaffected until final rule implementation.
Stuart Anderson, executive director of the National Foundation for American Policy, warned eliminating deference 'was a leading cause of time-consuming, expensive Requests for Evidence' during Trump's first term.