WASHINGTON—The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has implemented sweeping measures to bolster national security, curb exploitation of humanitarian programs, and assist enforcement agencies in identifying and removing individuals unlawfully present in the U.S., according to agency officials.
In the first 100 days of the Trump administration, USCIS has reinstated stringent screening protocols, prioritized fraud detection, and partnered with other agencies to reduce border encounters and expedite the removal of violent criminal offenders. The agency has also introduced policy changes to close perceived loopholes in the immigration system.
Cracking Down on Exploitation
USCIS Spokesman Matthew Tragesser stated, “Under the previous administration, policies allowed fraud to flourish and enabled criminal aliens to reside and work legally in our communities. Those days are over.” He emphasized that the agency is now enforcing long-ignored registration laws and targeting those who exploit immigration benefits. “Anyone seeking to live or work here must do so legally—or face removal,” Tragesser added.
Key initiatives include:
Alien Registration Requirement (ARR): A new tool helps determine whether individuals must submit biographic information for tracking purposes. As of April 29, nearly 47,000 submissions have been processed.
Cross-Agency Collaboration: USCIS has deployed approximately 450 personnel to support ICE operations and facilitated 369 arrests at its field offices since January 2025.
Marriage Fraud Crackdown: A joint operation with ICE and federal prosecutors led to the indictment of four individuals in a large-scale marriage fraud scheme.
Overhauling Humanitarian Programs
USCIS has terminated categorical parole programs for nationals of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, affecting roughly 531,000 individuals. Those no longer eligible have been instructed to report their departures via a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) app.
The agency also rescinded extensions of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti and Venezuela, citing misuse of the program.
Enhanced Screening and Vetting
USCIS has intensified fraud detection efforts, including:
- Reviewing 7,120 benefit fraud cases, with 4,664 flagged for irregularities.
- Referring 462 fraud cases and 4,672 public safety threats to ICE for investigation.
- Conducting 2,271 workplace site visits and screening 3,568 social media profiles for security risks.
Social media activity indicating support for antisemitic or anti-American extremism is now considered a negative factor in benefit adjudications.
Policy Reversals and Updates
SAVE Database Reforms: Transaction fees for government users were eliminated, and the system now integrates criminal records to prevent misuse of public benefits.
Gender Recognition: USCIS reverted to recognizing only binary biological sex, citing integrity in women’s sports.
COVID-19 Vaccines: Green card applicants are no longer required to show proof of vaccination.
Sanctuary Cities: Naturalization ceremonies will no longer be coordinated with jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
USCIS officials say the changes aim to restore “commonsense” safeguards and prioritize national security. Critics argue the measures could hinder legitimate asylum claims and humanitarian protections.
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