USCIS Highlights First 100 Days Under New Administration

By Joseph & Hall P.C.

In a recent statement titled “First 100 Days: Delivering on Making America Safe Again,” U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) outlined a series of enforcement measures implemented during the early days of the new administration. The agency emphasized a renewed focus on national security and stricter oversight of immigration benefits.

Among the key changes highlighted were:

• Expansion of Alien Registration and Tracking Systems: USCIS rolled out a more robust system to monitor noncitizens throughout the immigration process, aimed at enhancing transparency and accountability.
• Deployment of USCIS Personnel to Support ICE Operations: Approximately 450 USCIS personnel were reassigned to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at 85 detention and processing centers across the country.
• Increased Fraud Detection and Enforcement: The agency emphasized its anti-fraud initiatives, which include tighter background checks and new protocols for detecting document and identity fraud.
• Termination of Certain Humanitarian Programs: USCIS formally ended the parole programs for nationals of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, citing national security concerns.
• New Vetting Procedures: Social media screening was introduced to assess applicants for signs of “anti-Americanism,” alongside policy changes recognizing only binary gender designations on immigration forms.
• Changes to Public Health and Naturalization Policies: USCIS eliminated the COVID-19 vaccination requirement for green card applicants and announced it will no longer coordinate naturalization ceremonies in jurisdictions considered “sanctuary cities.”

The statement included a warning to immigrants and their legal representatives: any attempts to exploit the immigration system would be met with strict enforcement. Legal immigrants, the agency stressed, must fully comply with U.S. law or face removal proceedings.