Texas Legal News

Asylum interview reschedules now require “exceptional circumstances”

Three USCIS processing alerts took effect on August 21, 2026 for people with an affirmative asylum application pending. A reschedule request now has to establish exceptional circumstances rather than good cause; the Failure to Appear Warning notice is no longer issued; a reschedule request after a missed interview or missed biometrics appointment is due within 10 calendar days; and supporting evidence is due at the asylum office at least 14 calendar days before the interview. All of those windows are counted in calendar days, not business days. Here is what the agency published and what an immigration lawyer can review for one person in Texas.

Read me →

DV-2026 Diversity Visa Year Ends September 30 — What It Means in Texas

The State Department’s September 2026 Visa Bulletin states that the year of entitlement for everyone registered for the DV-2026 program ends September 30, 2026, that no diversity visas may be issued after that date, and that availability through the end of the fiscal year cannot be taken for granted. Separately, the Department paused all diversity visa issuance in December 2025, and on August 25, 2026 a federal judge in Washington held that pause and a related USCIS processing pause unlawful — but limited the relief to the named plaintiffs. Texas is home to established communities from many DV-eligible countries, and the people most involved here are often the relatives, employers and neighbors helping with documents and fees. Here is what the official documents say, and what an immigration lawyer can review for a specific case.

Read me →

Texas Approved Two 765-kV Transmission Lines Across 30-Plus Counties

On August 28, 2026, the Public Utility Commission of Texas voted unanimously to approve two 765-kilovolt transmission lines running southwest from Bosque County and northwest from San Antonio into the Permian Basin, across at least 30 counties. Hundreds of landowners had protested. Here is what the approval does and does not decide, what the Texas Landowner Bill of Rights and Chapter 21 of the Property Code say about easements and condemnation, and what a real estate or administrative lawyer can review for a specific tract.

Read me →

Court order blocks the USCIS adjudication holds for a certified class

On August 28, 2026, USCIS posted an alert describing an August 24, 2026 order from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in Red Eagle Law, L.C. v. Edlow. According to the agency, the court certified a class and enjoined Policy Memoranda PM-602-0192 and PM-602-0194, the memoranda that placed pending asylum and other benefit applications on hold, and ordered USCIS to adjudicate applications in the normal course. USCIS states that it strongly disagrees with the order but will follow its terms pending possible further judicial review. Here is what the agency published, the chronology behind it, and what an immigration lawyer can review for one specific person in Texas.

Read me →

New Form I-589 edition required starting August 28 — older editions rejected

USCIS published a new edition of Form I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal, dated 07/28/26. Starting August 28, 2026, USCIS accepts only that edition; until today the 01/20/25 edition was also accepted. The consequence is not just an inconvenience. Under 8 CFR 208.4, an asylum application counts as filed on the date USCIS receives it, and asylum has a one-year filing deadline. This walks through what the agency published, what the regulation says about rejected and refiled applications, and what an immigration lawyer can review for one specific person in Texas.

Read me →

July Texas Floods: FEMA Individual Aid Still Pending

Flooding that began July 12, 2026 damaged homes, roads and bridges across a stretch of Texas from the San Antonio area to the Mexico border. An emergency declaration was approved on July 18 and covers 28 counties, but it is the narrower of the two federal instruments. Texas has asked that 30 counties be made eligible for FEMA Individual Assistance, and as of August 28, 2026 that request is still pending. Here is the difference between the two declarations, why no household application exists yet, and which insurance and Texas statutory deadlines are running in the meantime.

Read me →

El Salvador TPS and the September 9 Date: What Is Actually Published

The Federal Register notice that extended Temporary Protected Status for El Salvador runs from March 10, 2025 through September 9, 2026, and a USCIS alert to E-Verify employers on August 12 repeated that the designation and related benefits are set to terminate on that date. But the statute also required the Secretary of Homeland Security to make and publish a determination at least 60 days before expiration — a deadline that fell on July 11, 2026 — and no such determination has been published. Salvadorans are the longest-tenured TPS population in the country, and Texas holds one of the largest shares of it. Here is what the official documents say, what the statute says about silence, and what an immigration lawyer can review for one person’s situation.

Read me →

Proposed $103,265 H-1B Cap Fee — and the Filings It Would Not Touch

On August 25, 2026 the Department of Homeland Security published a proposed rule at 91 FR 54817 that would add a $103,265 fee, payable at filing, to every H-1B cap-subject petition, including advanced-degree quota cases, on top of every other fee. DHS arrived at the figure by dividing roughly $8.78 billion in identified interagency costs by 85,000 projected cap-subject petitions. Three things are as important as the number itself: the rule is a proposal and is not in effect; it would not reach cap-exempt petitions filed by universities and nonprofit or governmental research organizations; and it would not reach petitions to extend or amend existing H-1B status or to move to a different employer. Texas has one of the largest H-1B workforces in the country. What the notice says, who it reaches, and what an immigration lawyer can review for a specific situation.

Read me →

Ross Fire FEMA Grant: What It Pays For, and What It Does Not

The Ross Fire has burned more than 50,000 acres across Palo Pinto and Jack counties, forced the overnight evacuation of roughly 630 homes, destroyed structures including buildings at the Worth Ranch scouting camp, and closed U.S. 180. FEMA approved a Fire Management Assistance Grant on August 25, 2026. That grant reimburses the state for 75 percent of eligible firefighting costs. It is not a payment to homeowners, renters or ranchers, and the two are commonly confused. Here is what the grant covers, where private losses are handled instead, and what the Texas Insurance Code and Property Code say about the deadlines that follow.

Read me →

Meta to Pay Texas Over $1 Billion — What It Means for Families

The Texas Attorney General announced on August 26, 2026 that Meta Platforms will pay the State of Texas more than $1 billion and change how Facebook and Instagram work for teenagers: stricter age-assurance, a default two-hour daily limit for teen users, notifications off by default during school hours, likes and reactions hidden by default, and a nighttime access mode. One fact gets lost in the headlines. The money goes to the State and to state-run programs, not to individual families, and the announcement does not describe a claims process for consumers. Here is what the state published, what changes on the platforms, and what a Texas lawyer can review.

Read me →

Court Strikes Down the 75-Country Immigrant Visa Pause — What It Changes in Texas

On August 21, 2026, a federal judge in the Southern District of New York held that the State Department policy pausing immigrant visa issuance for nationals of 75 countries was contrary to law and exceeded the Secretary of State’s authority. The court vacated the policy and set aside visa refusals that rested on it alone. The list of 75 countries includes Afghanistan, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, Iraq, Nepal, Nigeria and Pakistan — countries with long-established communities across Texas. Two things are worth separating: what the court ordered, and what has actually been published since. As of this writing the State Department page describing the pause still carries a February 2, 2026 update date, and the government has the ability to appeal.

Read me →

New Work Permit Form Edition Starts September 15 — No Grace Period

USCIS says it will publish revised editions of Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, and Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status, on September 15, 2026, and that there is no grace period for the older editions. A Form I-765 postmarked or e-filed on or after that date using the 08/21/25 edition will be rejected; before that date, only the 08/21/25 edition is accepted. Form I-765 is one of the most widely filed applications at USCIS — adjustment of status applicants, DACA recipients, asylum applicants, TPS holders, certain spouses, F-1 OPT students and J-2 dependents all use it. What the alert says, what a rejection can mean for work authorization, and what an immigration lawyer can review for a specific case.

Read me →

Proposed N-400 Fee Increase — Citizenship Filing Fee Would Rise to $1,330

A Department of Homeland Security proposed rule published at 91 FR 37500 on June 23, 2026 would raise the Form N-400 naturalization filing fee from $760 to $1,330 for paper filings and from $710 to $1,280 online, raise the Form N-336 appeal fee to $1,475, end the $380 reduced fee for lower-income applicants, and end fee waiver eligibility for both forms. Military applicants under INA sections 328 and 329 would stay exempt. This is a proposal, not a final rule: the written comment period runs through August 24, 2026, and the current fees and fee-relief options remain in place unless and until a final rule takes effect. What the proposal says, who in Texas it reaches, and what an immigration lawyer can review for a specific case.

Read me →

Duration of Status Ends September 15 — What Changes for International Students in Texas

A DHS final rule published at 91 FR 44976 takes effect September 15, 2026. F and J nonimmigrants will be admitted for the length of their program and no more than four years instead of open-ended duration of status, the F-1 departure window drops from 60 days to 30, and anyone needing more time files Form I-539 with USCIS. A coalition led by NAFSA filed suit and asked a federal court to block the rule on August 18. Texas is the third-largest host state for international students. What the rule says, what is still unsettled, and what an immigration lawyer can review for a specific case.

Read me →

Texas Cities Can No Longer Ban Manufactured Homes as of September 1, 2026

Senate Bill 785 takes effect September 1, 2026. A Texas city with zoning regulations must permit new HUD-code manufactured homes by right in at least one residential zoning district, must have adopted that district over real land, and must show it on its comprehensive zoning map. Cities keep authority over where and how large. What the enrolled bill says, the carve-outs it contains, and what a housing or real estate lawyer can review for a homeowner, buyer, or property owner.

Read me →

Jalapeño Salmonella Outbreak Reaches 431 Cases — What the Texas Recalls Mean

On August 21, 2026, the FDA and CDC updated their investigation of a multistate Salmonella Javiana outbreak traced to fresh jalapeños grown in Sinaloa, Mexico and distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors: 431 illnesses, 57 hospitalizations and no deaths across 32 states, Texas among them. Five downstream recalls now reach Texas shelves, including NatureBest and H-E-B brand pico de gallo, Whole Foods prepared foods, and products distributed to Kroger, Target, Trader Joe’s and Walmart. Here are the facts, the dates, and the Texas law that governs a food-poisoning claim.

Read me →

Texas Opens an “Avocado Oil” Labeling Investigation — What It Means for Shoppers

On August 20, 2026, the Texas Attorney General opened an industry-wide investigation into products labeled “made with avocado oil,” issuing Civil Investigative Demands to Primal Kitchen, Siete Foods and Chosen Foods, with more to follow. The trigger was a 2026 UC Davis study that found 48 of 54 avocado-oil-labeled chips, mayonnaises and dressings contained undisclosed cheaper oils. An investigation is not a finding that anyone broke the law — but the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act is the statute in play, and it has its own deadlines.

Read me →

More Than 41,000 School Buses Recalled Over Wiring and Fuel Leak Risks

NHTSA posted five school bus safety recalls on August 17, 2026, days into the Texas school year. Blue Bird Vision buses are covered for a damaged 12V harness wire that can short and knock out rear lighting and warning lights. Thomas Built Saf-T-Liner C2 buses are covered for a fuel tank cage that does not comply with the federal fuel system integrity standard and can leak in a crash. What campaigns 26V519, 26V520, 26V522 and 26V523 cover, and how Texas law treats a claim after a school bus crash.

Read me →

New Public Charge Rule Starts September 18 — What Changes for Texas Green Card Applicants

A DHS final rule published at 91 FR 45324 takes effect September 18, 2026, and USCIS issued its implementing guidance, Policy Alert PA-2026-09, on August 18. For adjustment applications postmarked or e-filed on or after September 18, officers may weigh any means-tested public benefit the applicant received in a totality-of-the-circumstances review. Two facts get lost in the headlines: benefits received by a family member are not attributed to the applicant, and DHS says the rule does not change who is eligible for any benefit program.

Read me →

Texas Bars 110+ More Cities From Raising Property Tax Rates

On August 17, 2026, the Office of the Texas Attorney General notified more than 110 additional Texas cities that, under Senate Bill 1851, they may not adopt a property tax rate above the no-new-revenue rate until they meet the state audit and financial-reporting requirements. The full list of cities, what the law says, and what a tax or real estate lawyer can review for a property owner.

Read me →

Toyota Recalls 508,354 Camry Hybrids Over a Blank Instrument Cluster

A start-up software fault in the 7-inch digital gauge cluster on 2025–2026 Camry hybrids can leave the display blank and, in the same fault, deactivate the hazard lights, turn signals, smart key reminder and seat belt warning. What NHTSA campaign 26V511000 covers, how to check a VIN, and what Texas law offers a person hurt in a crash where a signal or a warning did not work.

Read me →

Fifth Circuit Reverses the Injunction on Nine Texas SB 1 Provisions

On August 12, 2026 the Fifth Circuit reversed, in its entirety, a district court injunction that had blocked nine provisions of Texas Senate Bill 1 under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act. The mail ballot identification rules, the ballot-cure procedures and the voter-assistance oath requirements are enforceable again. Most of the claims were resolved on standing rather than on whether the provisions comply with federal disability law.

Read me →

Federal NFA Registration Order Takes Effect in Texas

A federal judge in Lubbock ruled on August 5, 2026 that the National Firearms Act registration and approval requirements for suppressors, short-barrel rifles and short-barrel shotguns are unconstitutional now that Congress has zeroed out the tax behind them. The Justice Department did not seek an emergency appeal, and the order took effect on August 13. The order is narrower than the headlines, an appeal is still possible, and machine guns are not covered.

Read me →

Appeals Court Lifts the Block on Fast-Track Removal of Parolees — on Standing, Not on the Merits

On August 11, 2026 the D.C. Circuit vacated the district court order that had stopped DHS from applying expedited removal to people paroled into the United States. The panel decided the case on standing alone and expressly did not rule on whether the government policies are lawful. A separate challenge to the 1997 regulation the government has been relying on is still pending in the district court.

Read me →

Texas Appeals the 21-Day State Hospital Ruling for Defendants Found Incompetent to Stand Trial

A federal judge ruled in July 2026 that Texas cannot constitutionally hold defendants found incompetent to stand trial in county jails for months while they wait for a state psychiatric hospital bed, and set a 21-day admission standard to be reached over four years. The State has appealed to the Fifth Circuit, and about 1,600 Texans remain on the waitlist.

Read me →

USCIS Can Now Require Immigration Forms to Be Filed Online — But No Form Is Online-Only Yet

A DHS interim final rule published at 91 FR 51924 took effect August 11, 2026, giving USCIS authority to require electronic filing of immigration benefit requests. No form has been made online-only yet; USCIS must post 60 days of advance notice first. The rule also creates Form I-936, a $25 request to file on paper, valid 30 days once approved.

Read me →

Texas Solar Sales Registration Takes Effect September 1, 2026: What Changes for Homeowners and Sellers

Under Senate Bill 1036, residential solar retailers and salespersons in Texas must be registered with TDLR beginning September 1, 2026, and further prohibited sales practices become enforceable that day. Homeowners have had a five-business-day right to cancel a solar contract since September 2025. What the statute, the adopted 16 TAC Chapter 71 rules, and TDLR guidance actually say.

Read me →

A $4,000 H-1B and $4,500 L-1 Fee Now Applies to Extension Filings, Too, Starting September 9

DHS filed a final rule on August 7, 2026 extending the 9-11 Response and Biometric Entry-Exit Fee to all H-1B and L-1 extension-of-status petitions from covered employers — including extensions with the same employer. The fee is paid by the employer, is not retroactive, and takes effect September 9, 2026.

Read me →

Baby Walkers, Teething Toys and Button-Battery Toys Recalled; Other Children’s Products Got Warnings With No Refund

On August 6, 2026 the CPSC posted recalls covering Wnttmt infant walkers, Little Rawr teething toys, OKK Trading LED headbands, magnetic fidget sliders and coin-battery products — most sold by third-party sellers on Amazon. Four other children’s items got stop-use warnings with no refund, repair, or replacement offered. What the notices say, and what Texas law provides a family whose child is hurt by a product.

Read me →

Louisville Ladder Recalls 1.77 Million Attic Stairway Ladders After Bolt Failures; One Injury Reported

The CPSC announced on August 6, 2026 that Louisville Ladder is recalling about 1.77 million Louisville, Featherlite, Lite & Century attic stairway ladders sold at The Home Depot, Lowe’s and other retailers from 2012 to 2026, after 11 reports of broken spreader bolts — including one injury. The remedy is a free repair kit, and Texas law has its own rules when a product fails and someone gets hurt.

Read me →

Appeals Court Upholds the State Fair of Texas Gun Ban

On August 6, 2026, the Fifteenth Court of Appeals held that the state law the attorney general sued under applies to government entities, not private ones — so the State Fair of Texas may lawfully prohibit firearms at its annual Dallas event. What the ruling says, who it reaches, and what it means for carrying a handgun at privately run events on public land throughout Texas.

Read me →

Federal Court Upholds One-Year Cap on TPS Work Permits, Pauses Asylum Fee Penalties

On August 5, 2026, a federal court declined to block the one-year cap on TPS work permits — including its application to 540-day extensions already issued to El Salvador, Ukraine and Sudan TPS holders — while pausing nationwide the rejection of asylum applications and removal proceedings over the new annual asylum fee. What the ruling says, who it reaches in Texas, and what an immigration lawyer can review.

Read me →

USCIS Can Now Deny an Immigration Application Without Asking for More Evidence First

A USCIS policy alert issued August 5, 2026 lets officers deny an application, petition, or renewal outright when required initial evidence is missing — without first sending a Request for Evidence or Notice of Intent to Deny — and ends the routine 12-week RFE response window. Effective immediately, including for cases already pending. What the policy says, who it reaches in Texas, and what an immigration lawyer can review.

Read me →

Six Commercial Vehicle Recalls Hit Freightliner, Peterbilt, Kenworth and Autocar Trucks Over Headlights, Brakes and Power Boxes

Federal regulators issued six commercial vehicle safety recalls the week of Aug. 3, 2026 — Freightliner low beams that may not illuminate properly, Peterbilt and Kenworth power boxes that can take out lighting, wipers and anti-lock brakes at once, and an Autocar terminal tractor brake control unit that can come loose. What the notices say, and what Texas law offers a driver or family hurt in a wreck involving a defective commercial truck.

Read me →

Stellantis Recalls 1.27 Million Ram 1500 Trucks Over Rear Seat Belt Anchors

An assembly error may have left the second-row center or driver-side seat belt buckle anchor loose on 2019–2026 Ram 1500 pickups, and the manufacturer says not to use those two seats until a dealer inspects the truck. How to check a VIN, what the notice says about injuries, and what Texas law offers a person hurt in a crash where a belt did not hold.

Read me →

Can Someone Detained in Texas Get an Immigration Bond Hearing? Where Fifth Circuit Law Stands

On July 30, 2026 two more federal appeals courts held that people arrested inside the country can seek bond — but neither covers Texas. Texas is in the Fifth Circuit, which ruled the other way in February and vacated its own July 2 decision pending a rehearing by the full court. The current posture, with links to the court orders, and what an immigration lawyer can review.

Read me →

Texas Pauses New Data Center Approvals Pending a Statewide Grid Audit

On August 3, 2026 the Governor directed the PUC and ERCOT to audit every data center applicant in the grid queue — roughly 90% of about 474,000 megawatts of pending large-load requests — before any additional project is approved. ERCOT postponed its Batch Zero study. What it means for landowners, contractors and neighbors, and what a Texas lawyer can review.

Read me →

Hemp Businesses File Federal Suit and Seek an Emergency Order Against the Texas Delta-8 Rule

A manufacturer, an Austin retailer and a retired Galveston County police officer sued Texas officials on July 31, 2026 in the Southern District of Texas, asking a federal judge for an emergency order pausing arrests, seizures and civil enforcement under the new delta-8 rule. No ruling yet — and filing a suit does not suspend a rule. What it does and does not change.

Read me →

Ethiopia and South Sudan TPS Work Permits Stay Valid to August 6, 2026 Under Court Order

USCIS guidance released July 30, 2026 tells employers that Employment Authorization Documents issued under the Ethiopia and South Sudan TPS designations remain valid through August 6 by order of a federal court in Massachusetts — the fourth such date in about a month. What the guidance says, the litigation behind it, and what a Texas immigration lawyer can review.

Read me →

OCTROT Recalls 178,000 Heated Blankets Sold on Amazon After 27 Fires and 15 Injuries

CPSC recall 26-652 covers about 178,000 OCTROT heated sherpa throws and blankets sold on Amazon from August 2021 through December 2025, after 555 reports of melting, sparking and smoking that led to 27 fires and 15 burn or electrical shock injuries. What Texas law offers someone who was burned, shocked, or lost a home to a fire.

Read me →

Skull Strobe Rockets Recalled: 132,440 Fireworks Pulled Over Early-Explosion Risk

CPSC recall 26-653 covers about 132,440 World Class Fireworks “Skull Strobe” rockets, SKU 1004351, that can explode prematurely before reaching their intended height. No injuries are reported. Sold at fireworks stores nationwide from March 2025 through June 2026 — which means unfired rockets are sitting in Texas homes right now, between the July 5 and December 20 selling seasons.

Read me →

Galanz Recalls 121,680 Retro Refrigerators Sold at Home Depot After 34 Fires and One Death

CPSC recall 26-649, announced July 30, covers about 121,680 Galanz retro refrigerators sold at Home Depot stores and on Amazon.com from January 2019 to September 2022, after 34 reports of fire and one reported death. Which models and date codes are covered, why the repair remedy changes what evidence survives, and what a Texas product liability lawyer can review.

Read me →

DACA Renewal Delays Are Leaving Texas Recipients Without Work Permits: Where Things Stand

USCIS median DACA renewal processing went from about 15 days in fiscal year 2025 to 122 days as of May 1, 2026 — long enough that protection can lapse inside the agency’s own recommended filing window. Meanwhile a Texas-only implementation order in Texas v. United States has been fully briefed since September 2025 and could issue at any time. What changed, what has not, and what an immigration lawyer can review.

Read me →

Student and Exchange Visas Get Fixed End Dates on September 15, 2026: What Texas Students Can Have Reviewed

A DHS final rule at 91 Fed. Reg. 44976 replaces “duration of status” for F, J and I nonimmigrants with a fixed end date on the Form I-94, effective September 15, 2026. Texas hosts 97,043 international students, third most in the nation. What changed, the transition dates for people already here, the new unlawful presence exposure, and what an immigration lawyer can review.

Read me →

OCOOPA Recalls 1.5 Million Rechargeable Hand Warmers After 350 Burn Injuries and One Death

CPSC recall 26-659, announced July 30, covers about 1.5 million OCOOPA lithium-ion hand warmers sold on Amazon and Walmart.com from September 2018 through May 2026, after 1,480 overheating reports, 15 fires, 350 burn injuries and one reported death. Which models are covered, what the notice says about refunds and battery disposal, and what a Texas product liability lawyer can review.

Read me →

The Public Charge Rule Changes on September 18, 2026: What Green Card Applicants in Texas Can Have Reviewed

A DHS final rule published July 20 rescinds the 2022 public charge regulation effective September 18, removing 8 C.F.R. 212.20 through 212.23 with no replacement rule. What changed, why it is not a return to the 1999 guidance, which categories stay statutorily exempt, and what an immigration lawyer can review before the filing-date line.

Read me →

New Asylum Rule Took Effect July 28, 2026: Some Cases Now Go to Immigration Court Without an Interview

A DHS interim final rule effective July 28 lets USCIS asylum officers refer certain applications to an immigration judge on the written record alone, with no interview. DHS says up to 444,724 of the 1,434,145 pending affirmative cases may be affected, and applies the change to cases already in line. What changed, what did not, and what an immigration lawyer can review.

Read me →

OSHA Proposes $3.5 Million in Fines Over the Channelview Sulfuric Acid Spill Cleanup

The U.S. Department of Labor proposed $3,520,703 in penalties against BWC Terminals and two cleanup contractors after a December 2025 release of about 1 million gallons of sulfuric acid in Channelview. The citations are proposed, not final, and BWC says it intends to appeal. What Texas law offers workers exposed to chemicals on the job.

Read me →

Haiti and Syria TPS Ended July 27, 2026: What It Means for People in Texas

Temporary Protected Status for Haiti and Syria terminated on July 27, 2026, after the Supreme Court decision in Mullin v. Doe and a D.C. Circuit order that held protections in place until that date. Texas is the second largest TPS state. What changed, what did not, and what an immigration lawyer can review.

Read me →

Texas Reclassifies Manufactured Delta-8 and Delta-10 on July 31, 2026: What Changed

Reinstated DSHS definitions take effect July 31, treating manufactured delta-8, delta-10 and THCP as Schedule I under the Texas schedules, after the Texas Supreme Court ruling in Sky Marketing Corp. The 0.3% delta-9 hemp exception still stands. What changed, what did not, and what a criminal defense lawyer can review.

Read me →