It is not much of a secret, that the Trump administration has impacted the immigration system in a significant way. Critics say the president has all but declared war on immigrants who wish to stay or come to the United States. Supporters of the president suggest the administration is merely upholding the current laws made by Congress. In this article, we will discuss some of the ways that the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has tightened the reins on the immigration review process.

Expanded Guidelines for Deportation

Under the Trump Administration, a new list of reasons has been implemented that would send immigrants before judges after a “Notice to Appear” (NTA), the trigger for deportation proceedings. This list impacts “legal” and undocumented immigrants who have been denied an immigration benefit, which signals to authorities that they may have become violated immigration law in some way.

More Robust Screening

The Department of Homeland Security and USCIS is attempting to identify immigration benefit fraud by using more robust screening processes. Enhanced investigations during the biometric screenings and naturalization benefits process are getting extra attention. Officials previously were only doing spot checks on these persons during the adjudication period which left holes in detecting those who were abusing benefit programs.

Asylum Backlog

To deter existing asylum seekers from exploiting the backlog within the immigration systems to get permits for employment, USCIS is looking at the newest asylum applications first rather than in order of receipt. USCIS hopes this will stave off those who are trying to exploit the asylum process so they can obtain work permits and stay in the U.S. while they await their asylum interviews.

ICE Inspections at Workplaces

Immigration Customs Enforcement has increased their workplace inspections to ensure businesses are in compliance with state and federal laws. The organization says they are doing drop in, unannounced, visits to check on work permits for employees and to make sure workers are not being exploited for low wages or poor workplace conditions.

Tougher on Immigration Regulations

USCIS is conducting more oversight on visa processes including EB-5 visas, H1-b visa abuse, F-1 visas, M-visas and J-visas. There have also been stricter guidelines on “public charge” grounds which means an immigrant has been identified as a burden (or may become a burden) on government assistance programs. This change in regulation gives officials the power to order deportation, which has lead to thousands being removed from the U.S. These regulations can also impact immigrants’ ability to apply for permanent statuses such as citizenship or a green card.

Have you been impacted by one of these tighter regulations? At Landerholm Immigration we work with individuals faced with many different immigration challenges. We welcome you to reach out to our team of green card lawyers, deportation attorneys, and immigration professionals who can help you through these processes. We know that these situations can be worrisome and overwhelming, so call or connect with us today to get more information about your case.