Proposed rule · 2026-20941

Removing Deference to Prior USCIS Determinations of Eligibility

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), proposes to remove 8 CFR 214.1(c)(5), which generally provides that USCIS gives deference to a prior approval involving the same facts when adjudicating a request to extend a petition for an alien's employment or stay. This change would better align DHS regulations with the statute, which places the burden of proving eligibility for all immigration benefits on the petitioner, applicant, or beneficiary; strengthen adjudicatory review; and support agency priorities to improve the integrity of the immigration system and better protect the interests of U.S. workers.