US Tightens Immigration Policies with H-1B Approval Decline and New Green Card Rules

US immigration policies are tightening for both H-1B visa applicants and Green Card holders. In FY2025, H-1B filings rose 7% to 456,725, but approvals dropped 17.8% to a five-year low of 328,185 amid increased scrutiny. Concurrently, new rules affecting Green Card holders include loss of Small Business Administration loan eligibility for partial business owners from March 2026, enhanced background checks, mandatory biometric tracking starting December 2025, and increased verification visits for conditional Green Cards.