The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is undergoing administrative changes under the Trump administration, shifting its operational focus. Historically, USCIS has administered lawful immigration processes, including applications for asylum, green cards, citizenship, and work visas, with a workforce exceeding 20,000 employees.
Since January, the administration has implemented modifications, including encouraging early retirements, terminating collective bargaining agreements, and reducing programs designed to facilitate legal migration. New job postings issued by the agency feature language emphasizing roles such as "homeland defenders" and fraud prevention. USCIS Director Joseph Edlow stated during his Senate confirmation that "at its core, USCIS must be an immigration enforcement agency."
These internal changes have coincided with staff departures, including over 1,300 individuals who accepted an early resignation offer for federal employees. Immigration attorneys, such as Eric Welsh in California, have noted increased apprehension among clients regarding the application process for legal status.
Policy Changes and Reviews
The administration has implemented several policy changes. Following an incident in late November where an Afghan national was charged with shooting two National Guard members, the administration halted the processing of green card and citizenship applications from nationals of 19 countries, including Afghanistan. Retroactive reviews of previously approved applications were also ordered. President Trump communicated via social media his intent to "permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries" and implement "REVERSE MIGRATION." Subsequently, USCIS ceased processing various immigration applications, including those for asylum.
Director Edlow announced the establishment of a new vetting center to conduct interviews and re-review approved immigration applications. He stated that "Under President Trump, we are building more protective measures that ensure fraud, deception, and threats do not breach the integrity of our immigration system."
Further policy modifications include:
- Emphasis in policy memos on prioritizing refugees who demonstrate ease of assimilation, specifically mentioning white Afrikaners from South Africa as a target demographic.
- Capping refugee admissions for the current fiscal year at 7,500, marking the lowest level since the initiation of the modern refugee program in the 1980s.
- Introduction of a longer, more rigorous citizenship test.
- Advancement of a rule permitting officers to consider an immigrant's legal use of public benefits, such as food stamps and healthcare, as a factor for denying status.
Reports have indicated arrests and detentions following routine USCIS interviews. Julia Gelatt, associate director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Program at the Migration Policy Institute, noted that these policy adjustments represent a departure from previous decades' approaches to immigration.
Increased Enforcement Focus
The administration has intensified the agency's focus on law enforcement activities. USCIS has introduced a new role described as "homeland defenders." These positions are tasked with "interviewing aliens, reviewing applications, and identifying criminal or ineligible aliens," and are expected to support Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Job descriptions for these roles suggest a preference for candidates with backgrounds in traditional law enforcement. USCIS reported receiving approximately 35,000 applications for "homeland defender" positions and has extended "hundreds" of job offers, including to former law enforcement officials and veterans. A November USCIS press release stated, "USCIS is cutting bureaucratic red tape to hire fiercely dedicated, America-first patriots to serve on the frontlines and hold the line against terrorists, criminal aliens, and bad actors intent on infiltrating our nation."
Additionally, USCIS has established "special agents" with law enforcement authority, empowering them to carry firearms and investigate, arrest, and prosecute immigration cases—functions previously largely handled by ICE or CBP. Gelatt commented that increased immigration enforcement activities may influence individuals' willingness to interact with government agencies, including USCIS.
Internal Agency Impact
Internal communications within USCIS regarding the direction and speed of changes have been a concern for employees. Michael Knowles, executive vice president of the union representing 15,000 USCIS employees, cited low morale attributed to the termination of the union contract, a revised back-to-office mandate, and limited communication from leadership. Knowles affirmed that the agency has historically enforced immigration laws during application processing.
An unnamed former USCIS refugee officer stated that the rapidity of changes "overwhelmed" employees. Employees expressed concerns regarding the administration's policy requiring re-interviews for all previously admitted refugees, perceiving it as an implication of prior insufficient vetting. USCIS stated it had paused approvals to "ensure that all aliens from these countries are vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible."
Observations by attorney Eric Welsh include the presence of signage within USCIS offices that encourages individuals to depart the country. Welsh noted a change in the atmosphere within the agency's offices. Legal professionals have expressed concerns that these modifications may reduce legal migration pathways previously available. USCIS did not respond to inquiries regarding whether immigrants would be deterred from pursuing legal pathways to permanent status, stating, "The safety of the American people always come [sic] first."