Statistics released by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency indicate 59,207 foreigners were in detention centers across the country as of September 2025. According to a report issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in August, the number of unauthorized migrants had decreased from 15.8 million to 14.2 million, but DHS Secretary Kristi Noem didn’t provide details about how many were deported or how.
Until the numbers cited above are reviewed by the General Accounting Office or the DHS Office of the Inspector General, immigration policy analysts and researchers have valid reasons to be skeptical. The current U.S. administration is notorious for releasing inflated statistics to suit various political agendas. However, such tactics cannot apply to visa limits. The number of foreigners allowed under various immigrant and non-immigrant categories is set when the new fiscal year begins in October, and it’s managed by the State Department, American embassies, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. San Diego residents who are interested in learning more about legal immigration should keep reading as we review the visa caps set for the fiscal year 2026.
Green Card Visas
There’s a general limit of 675,000 annual visas for family-based, employment-based, and diversity (green card lottery) immigrants. Foreign-born individuals in this category are admitted under criteria conducive to permanent residence. When officials set this number, they consider diversity. For this reason, there are per-country limits involved.
It’s important to note this visa cap is subject to many exceptions, including children, parents, and spouses of American citizens. The number is also flexible when considering humanitarian protection programs.
H-1B Non-Immigrant Visas
Although this employment visa program is managed by the State Department, applications are handled by immigration law firms and adjudicated by USCIS. There are 85,000 H-1B visas allotted for 2026, of which 65,000 are for skilled workers and 20,000 for applicants with advanced degrees. Although H-1B visa holders are non-immigrants, they can adjust their status to get green cards through a few avenues.
EB-2 Visas for Exceptional Ability Foreigners
The cap for this visa program depends on another visa limit: specifically, 28.6 percent of 150,000 employment-based visas. In early September 2025, the State Department published a press release announcing all available EB-2 visas (ostensibly 42,900) had been issued. The base requirements for this program include a bachelor’s degree plus five years of documented progressive experience in the exceptional ability field.
H-2B Non-Agricultural Work Visas
While the H-1B visa program gets significant news media coverage and congressional debate, its non-technical version features a limit of 66,000 annual visas. The H-2B visa is part of a non-immigrant program available to employers who want to hire foreigners temporarily. Unlike the H-2A visa program for seasonal migrant workers, H-2B applicants have two admission periods. From October to March, no more than 33,000 H-2B visas can be issued. The remaining 33,000 visas are for applicants who must wait until April to be admitted and start working.
If you have questions about immigration procedures or laws and how they may affect you and your family, contact trustworthy San Diego immigration lawyers. The attorneys at KS Visa Law have vast experience with every aspect of immigration law, and they’re the attorneys to call on when you need the most up-to-date information about immigration regulations and how to navigate the immigration court system. Call KS Visa Law today to schedule an appointment.
