The Trump administration has temporarily halted the processing of certain Green Card applications, a move that has raised concerns among immigrants, particularly the Indian-American community.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the decision to comply with two executive orders signed by President Donald Trump on January 20, which call for stricter vetting of individuals applying for legal permanent residency.
The two executive orders, titled “Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats” and “Designating Cartels And Other Organisations As Foreign Terrorist Organizations And Specially Designated Global Terrorists,” mandate heightened scrutiny of foreign nationals residing in or entering the US.
The first order specifically requires officials to “vet and screen to the maximum degree possible all aliens who intend to be admitted, enter, or are already inside the United States, particularly those aliens coming from regions or nations with identified security risks.” This directive is expected to impact thousands of immigrants, including those from India, who are currently in the Green Card process.
The second order aims to crack down on transnational criminal groups, such as Tren de Aragua (TdA) and La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), which the US government considers major threats to national security.
By pausing certain Green Card applications, the administration intends to ensure that individuals with potential security risks do not gain legal residency in the country.
Among those most affected by the policy shift are refugees and individuals granted asylum in the US who have applied for Green Cards.
According to CBS News, USCIS is conducting additional background checks on these individuals, even though they have already undergone extensive screening before being admitted to the country.
Under US immigration laws, refugees and asylees can apply for a Green Card after spending at least one year in the country. However, with the new policy in place, those who had already submitted their applications will have to go through further vetting, which could lead to prolonged processing times.
A spokesperson from the Department of Homeland Security confirmed to NBC News that the agency is “placing a temporary pause on finalising certain adjustment of status applications pending the completion of additional screening and vetting.” However, the government has not specified how long this suspension will last.
Between October 2023 and September 2024, approximately 67,800 Green Card applications were filed by asylum seekers, with nearly 40,000 submitted by refugees, as per data quoted by Newsweek.
Before the temporary suspension, the processing times for these applications averaged 10 months for asylum seekers and eight months for refugees. Now, these applicants are expected to face further delays.
The revised vetting process will require applicants to undergo another round of scrutiny, despite having already submitted extensive documentation. This means that immigration officials will re-examine their backgrounds, including social media history, financial records, and prior applications.
Immigration experts believe the new directive reflects the Trump administration’s previous approach to immigration. Laura Collins, director of the Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative at the George W. Bush Institute, noted that during Trump’s first term, USCIS officials reviewed applications “with a fine-toothed comb.”
“So if you didn’t have a middle name … they would send your application back and say, ‘Well, you didn’t fill in your middle name portion,’” Collins explained to NBC News. She added that authorities are likely revisiting applicants’ social media and other records, ensuring that no details are overlooked.
As a result of the increased scrutiny, immigration lawyers expect more Green Card rejections due to minor errors or omissions in applications. With no clear timeline for when the pause will be lifted, thousands of applicants now face uncertainty regarding their future in the United States.
