The Trump administration has temporarily stopped processing certain green card applications to enhance vetting procedures. This move is part of President Donald Trump's executive orders aimed at tightening immigration policies for national security and fraud prevention. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will pause finalizing some Adjustment of Status applications to conduct additional screening for potential fraud, public safety, or national security concerns.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that this pause aligns with Trump's directive to "vet and screen to the maximum degree possible all aliens" entering or residing in the United States. The halt affects refugees and asylum seekers who are in the process of obtaining legal permanent residency, or green cards. These individuals have already undergone rigorous vetting before entering the U.S., and the new measures add another layer of scrutiny.
The increased vetting includes a review of social media accounts, which USCIS claims is necessary for enhanced identity verification and security screening. This additional scrutiny has led to concerns among immigration advocates, who argue that the policies are discriminatory and harm America's reputation as a welcoming nation.
The changes come as USCIS works to reduce its backlog of applications. According to Yahoo News, the agency recently reported a reduction in its backlog by 15% in 2023 and 11.2% in 2024. However, the new policies may impact the agency's operations and financial stability, as it is funded by application fees.