Trump Administration Pauses Some Green Card Applications

(Newsweek) The Trump administration has paused some green card applications, potentially affecting thousands who came to the United States as refugees or asylum seekers.

A U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official told Newsweek on Tuesday that the pause on some so-called adjustment of status applications was because of two executive orders signed by President Donald Trump.

“This sweeping and indefinite stop on green card processing is yet another attempt for this administration to baselessly paint all immigrants as a national security risk,” National Immigrant Justice Center Director of Policy Azadeh Erfani told Newsweek.

Why It Matters

The pause potentially leaves thousands of applicants with an even longer wait time for permanent residency while some of the legal pathways they arrived on are being dismantled by the Trump administration. Trump has promised millions of illegal immigrants will be deported during his time in office, with some advocates fearing those who do not have criminal records will be included to boost numbers.

What To Know

Between October 2023 and September 2024, at least 67,800 green card applications were filed by asylum seekers, while almost 40,000 were submitted by refugees, who can only apply after arriving at least a year earlier.

The average wait times for those applications to be decided on by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) were around 10 and 8 months, respectively. The pause will likely delay decisions even further.

DHS said the action was a result of two executive orders by Trump: “Protecting The United States From Foreign Terrorists And Other National Security And Public Safety Threats” and “Designating Cartels And Other Organizations As Foreign Terrorist Organizations And Specially Designated Global Terrorists.”

The first instructed agencies, including DHS, to increase vetting and screening of those seeking legal status in the U.S. This included those trying to get into the country and those already admitted from countries deemed as “security risks.”

One refugee rights organization told Newsweek that it was monitoring the situation to see how many people may be affected, as USCIS flags applications occasionally.

Many refugees and asylum seekers who come to the U.S. have traveled from countries facing ongoing war, government instability, or climate disasters. Trump criticized the previous administration for implementing programs that were seen as bypassing screening for new arrivals.

That criticism came despite lengthy application processes, particularly for refugees, who face medical screenings and interviews before being allowed into the U.S.

Pausing green card applications for these two groups comes as other legal pathways, including humanitarian parole for those from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, have been scrapped by the administration.

Those who arrived through that program may be required to leave the country within a tight time frame or face detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

What People Are Saying

National Immigrant Justice Center Director of Policy Azadeh Erfani told Newsweek in a statement: “There is no justification for this action, other than discriminatory animus against people who seek refuge. USCIS already conducts extensive vetting of all individuals who apply for permanent resident status. Already, our clients wait over a year for USCIS to process their applications. This stop in processing will unfairly block people who have full eligibility to gain permanent status in the United States.”

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told Newsweek: “To better identify fraud, public safety or national security concerns, USCIS is placing a temporary pause on finalizing certain Adjustment of Status applications pending the completion of additional screening and vetting.”

David Bier, director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute, on X, formerly Twitter: “These applications have insane wait times already, and Trump is freezing them solely to make it easier to deny the applications and deport them.”

What Happens Next

The Trump administration has faced legal challenges over its scrapping of refugee and parole programs while it continues to ramp up immigration enforcement and increase vetting of green card and visa applicants, including looking into social media posts.