IN THE NEWS TODAY
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS
New York State and New York City Sue to Block New Public-Charge Rule
New York is leading a 22-state challenge while New York City is leading a separate local-government lawsuit seeking to stop the federal public-charge rule before its scheduled September 18 implementation. The cases focus in part on whether uncertainty surrounding benefit use will discourage immigrant and mixed-status families from accessing health care, food assistance and other programs for which they are legally eligible.
Trump Calls for “No Invasion of Our Country Act” to Codify Border Restrictions
President Trump has called on Congress to pass legislation he is referring to as the “No Invasion of Our Country Act,” saying it would make it substantially harder for a future administration to reverse current border restrictions through executive action; however, no publicly available bill text, bill number, committee referral, or detailed description of which asylum, parole, detention, admission, or enforcement authorities would be changed has yet been identified.
Federal Judge Blocks New Limits on International Students’ Length of Stay
A federal judge temporarily blocked DHS from replacing the longstanding “duration of status” framework with fixed admission periods for international students and exchange visitors. The issue has substantial New York implications: international students contributed an estimated $5.9 billion to the state economy and supported 46,562 jobs in 2024–25.
New York Colleges Confront Continuing International-Student Visa Uncertainty
Capital Region and Hudson Valley colleges had been preparing for DHS’s new visa requirements before Monday’s injunction. Universities and economic-development officials say continued uncertainty surrounding international students could affect enrollment, university finances, research and New York’s ability to attract skilled global talent.
ICE Arrests Rise Sharply While Deportations Remain Relatively Steady
ICE arrests approached 51,000 in August, but deportations remained around 1,200 per day. Reuters finds that a growing share of people arrested have no criminal conviction or final removal order and may have pending asylum, family-sponsored green-card or other legal claims, helping explain why arrests and removals are increasingly diverging.
Federal Watchdog Documents Substandard Conditions at Closed Florida Immigration Facility
A DHS Inspector General investigation found deficiencies involving living space, hygiene, recreation and legal access at the former South Florida detention facility and documented detainees being confined in small metal enclosures. DHS disputed broader allegations that conditions were inhumane.
IMMIGRANT INTEGRATION FACT OF THE DAY
IIIRP’s Data Gateway provides eight downloadable county-level datasets covering New York’s foreign-born population ages 16–64.
Based on the 2021 American Community Survey, the datasets cover nativity, country of origin, languages, English proficiency, education, age, employment sector and poverty.
Source: IIIRP Data Gateway | ACS 2021