After the mass deportation of undocumented immigrants, the United States is taking a stricter approach to legal immigration.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced stronger checks on H-1B visas, student visas, family-based applications, and other immigration programs.
These changes are part of fraud investigations, new rules, and expanded enforcement efforts, according to a year-end report.
Operation Twin Shield: Biggest Immigration Crackdown
USCIS launched Operation Twin Shield, a major enforcement effort targeting misuse of H-1B visas, student visas, and fake marriage-based applications.
The operation involved thousands of workplace inspections, nearly 1,500 in-person interviews, denial of benefits, and arrests.
Since January 20, USCIS referred over 14,400 people to ICE for public safety, national security, or fraud concerns, including 182 confirmed or suspected national security threats.
Cooperation with law enforcement led to more than 2,400 arrests at USCIS offices this year.
Changes to Work Permits and H-1B Visas
USCIS has revised employment authorization rules:
Automatic extensions for some work permits while renewals are pending have ended.
Maximum validity for certain work permits has been reduced from five years to 18 months, allowing more frequent checks.
For H-1B visas, USCIS is proposing rules to give priority to higher-skilled, higher-paid workers to protect American wages and job opportunities.
At the same time, rules for agricultural work visas have been streamlined to support the US farming industry.
Scrutiny on Family-Based Immigration
Family-based immigration is also under tighter checks.
USCIS is now examining marriages and family ties more carefully to ensure they are genuine and not attempts to gain immigration benefits fraudulently.
Under the leadership of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and USCIS Director Joseph B. Edlow, the agency is following an “America First” approach, focusing on public safety, national security, and the integrity of the immigration system.
Temporary Halts and High-Risk Country Checks
Following a Nov. 26 attack near the White House involving an Afghan national, USCIS temporarily paused asylum processing for certain groups.
They also began reviewing green card applications from high-risk countries, pausing some petitions from Afghanistan and other nations of concern.
Officers are instructed to consider country-specific risks when reviewing applicants from 19 high-risk countries.
On Dec. 5, USCIS launched a new vetting center to strengthen immigration checks using advanced technology and closer coordination with law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
What Operation Twin Shield Achieved
Operation Twin Shield, conducted with ICE and the FBI, focused on fraud in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area from September 19-28.
It included site visits and thorough checks of applicants and petitioners with pending immigration benefits.
The operation followed Executive Order 14161, aimed at protecting the US from foreign terrorists and other security threats.
It targeted marriage and family-based petitions, employment authorizations, and certain parole requests.
Following its success, USCIS officers now have the authority to thoroughly vet applicants and take action against immigration fraud wherever it is found, ensuring the integrity of the US immigration system.
