Green card holders have been warned that federal authorities may revoke their legal status if they have a criminal record and violate immigration laws.
“Under our nation’s laws, our government has the authority to revoke your green card if our laws are broken and abused,” Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter.
The agency added that lawful permanent residents arriving at a U.S. port of entry with prior criminal convictions could end up detained ahead of removal proceedings.
Why It Matters
The warning comes amid a widespread immigration crackdown under the Trump administration. President Donald Trump has pledged to remove millions of undocumented immigrants as part of a hardline mass deportation policy, with the White House labeling anyone in the country illegally as a “criminal.”
Beyond targeting those without legal status, immigrants with valid visas and green cards have also faced detention under the government’s sweeping enforcement operations.
Newsweek has reported numerous cases involving green card holders and applicants being caught up in the immigration raids.
What To Know
There were 12.8 million lawful permanent residents, or green card holders, living in the U.S. as of January 1, 2024, according to estimates by the Office of Homeland Security Statistics.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has said that lawful permanent residents found to be in violation of immigration laws could lose their legal status and face deportation.
Amelia Wilson, assistant professor at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law and director of the Immigration Justice Clinic, said there are clear legal safeguards that protect green card holders from sudden revocation.
“The law contained within the Immigration and Nationality Act is clear,” Wilson told Newsweek. “The Department of Homeland Security cannot unilaterally ‘revoke’ a permanent resident’s status. There is a process the agency must follow, including serving the individual with a ‘Notice of Intent to Rescind,’ at which time that individual is entitled to a hearing before an immigration judge.”
Under Trump, government agencies such as CBP, USCIS and ICE have launched a broad social media campaign, issuing warnings that urge undocumented immigrants to self-deport, highlighting criminal arrests and maintaining a significantly larger online presence than under previous administrations.
The Trump administration is moving to revoke visas of foreign students allegedly linked to pro-Hamas activities, including campus protests and distributing flyers.
The effort is part of a wider executive order targeting antisemitism and supporters of extremist groups. The crackdown has expanded immigration enforcement against pro-Palestinian supporters with green cards.
Several high-profile detentions have taken place. One such case is Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and Columbia graduate student, who was arrested at his university-owned apartment.
What People Are Saying
Amelia Wilson, assistant professor at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law and director of the Immigration Justice Clinic, told Newsweek: “During these proceedings, it is the government that bears the burden of proving by clear, unequivocal, and convincing evidence that the permanent resident should have their status taken away. At that point it is the immigration judge—and only the immigration judge—who can effectively strip an individual of their green card.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, on X on March 9: “We will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported.”
USCIS, on X on May 5: “Green cards and visas will be revoked if an alien breaks the law, supports terrorism, overstays their permitted visit time, performs illegal work, or anything else that violates the terms on which we granted them this privilege or compromises the safety of our fellow Americans.”
Customs and Border Protection, on X: “Attention Green Card Holders: Having a criminal history does not make you an upstanding lawful permanent resident. Possessing a green card is a privilege, not a right.” Newsweek
