Weekly immigration insights and plain-language updates to make the system clearer, simpler, and easier to navigate.

This week, immigration attorney Ana Gabriela Urizar offers her insights on some of the latest headlines.

For those of us who haven't met the King of Sweden, qualifying for an O-1 means meeting at least three of eight (or six for O-1B artist visas) specific criteria to demonstrate extraordinary ability. One of the most effective ways to do this is by serving as a judge of the work of others in your field.

🤖 For an AI researcher, this might mean peer-reviewing submissions for a journal like Nature or a conference like NeurIPS. 

🏆 For a startup founder, it could mean serving on the jury of a major hackathon. 

🧑‍🍳 For a food influencer, it could mean judging a cooking competition.

These opportunities can help show that your industry looks to you to set the standard. 

🟤 Quick tip: Ideally, you should be evaluating your fellow professionals, not students. 

Sign up for our Feb. 3 webinar to dive deeper into the O-1 criteria and learn how to turn your career milestones into a robust evidence package.

Today’s memo is brought to you by Ana Gabriela Urizar, an immigration lawyer with almost a decade of experience and over 15,000 cases filed.

A few days ago, thousands of foreign nationals woke up to the same headline: the U.S. Department of State directed consular officers in 75 countries to pause or slow immigrant visa processing.

Headlines like this can make it feel as though the entire immigration system is unstable. In reality, though, what we’re seeing is increased volatility around entry and consular processing. 

Entry into the United States is governed by the executive branch. The President, and by extension, agencies like the DOS, DHS, and CBP, have sole authority over who is allowed to cross the border. That’s why a travel ban, for example, can be implemented basically overnight. 

By contrast, visas like the O-1 and EB-1A are created by statute and governed primarily by Congress. While the executive branch controls how these visas are administered and adjudicated, any effort to fundamentally change them must go through lengthy federal rulemaking or legislative processes. 

As a result, individuals who maintain valid status inside the United States are generally less exposed to sudden policy shifts aimed at regulating entry, such as travel bans or consular slowdowns.

Read more about the immigrant visa processing pause for 75 countries and what it means for you in this week’s Legal Brief. 

This week, Manifest immigration attorney Ana Gabriela Urizar chimes in with her thoughts on the latest headlines. 

The February 2026 Visa Bulletin Was Released

This month, USCIS has confirmed that it will continue to use the dates for filing chart to determine when people can apply for an adjustment of status.

Urizar: “Little movement in the February 2026 Visa Bulletin does not, by itself, signal bad news. It’s consistent with how the Department of State and USCIS often manage visa number usage over a fiscal year, especially after several months of forward movement.​”

Somali Nationals Lost TPS Protections

Somali TPS holders have until March 17 to either leave the country or secure another valid immigration status.

Urizar: “If you’re affected by this policy, talk with a lawyer on whether you qualify for a work visa or Green Card right away. Without a valid status, you won’t be able to remain in the U.S. legally after March 17.”

Avalon is an immigration attorney with over 10 years of experience across business, and family. An immigrant from Trinidad & Tobago, she knows firsthand the challenges of the U.S. immigration system and is committed to guiding clients with clarity and determination.

*Disclaimer: Average historical approval rate provided by Manifest co-counsel in connection with cases handled with Manifest and co-counsel's prior firms.