Trump Administration halts Green Card Processing for additional vetting
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a temporary halt in finalizing certain green card applications, following an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in January.
This suspension of some green card applications aims to conduct additional vetting of the applicants, in line with a directive from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The executive order, titled “Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats,” requires agencies to rigorously vet all individuals applying for, entering, or already inside the United States, particularly those from high-risk regions.
According to CBS News on Tuesday, March 25, the USCIS has directed its staff to focus on conducting extra vetting for refugees or those granted asylum who have applied for permanent residency or green cards.
The DHS confirmed in a statement that it is “placing a temporary pause on finalizing certain adjustment of status applications” until additional screening and vetting are completed.
The statement did not clarify which specific applications would be affected, how long the pause would last, or whether the suspension would impact the agency’s financial operations.
For refugees and asylum seekers, this additional vetting represents a further layer of scrutiny, building on the already rigorous screening process they underwent before entering the U.S.
Laura Collins from the Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative emphasized that refugees and asylees are already thoroughly vetted before being approved for resettlement, and the new vetting would be an extra precaution.
The delay in processing applications could lead to a backlog, potentially shrinking the USCIS’s capacity as the agency depends on fees to fund its operations, which could have financial implications.
The pause in processing applications comes as USCIS has made significant progress in reducing its backlog of petitions, cutting it by 15% in 2023 and continuing to reduce it in the following year.
This move reflects the ongoing adjustments to immigration policy under the current administration. While it aims to enhance security, it may also delay the immigration process for many individuals who have already been thoroughly vetted. It will be essential to monitor the effects on both the applicants and the agency’s operational efficiency as this policy unfolds.
The temporary halt in processing green card applications is a significant development that will impact thousands of immigrants waiting for their permanent residency approval. The full implications of this pause, both in terms of the length of the delay and its effects on the U.S. immigration system, remain to be seen.
The post Trump Administration halts Green Card Processing for additional vetting appeared first on Khaama Press.