The Trump administration has implemented stricter background check requirements for individuals seeking immigration benefits, according to internal documents from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services obtained by news outlets.
USCIS staff received direction to halt approval of any pending immigration cases until applicants complete the expanded security screenings. The new protocol took effect April 27, 2026.
“Effective April 27, 2026, USCIS will begin receiving enhanced criminal history record information (CHRI) for all fingerprint-based background checks submitted to the FBI’s Next Generation Identification system,” stated an internal email sent to USCIS personnel in the Refugee, Asylum and International Operations division last week.
The immigration enforcement measures represent part of President Trump’s broader initiative to tighten border security and reduce unauthorized immigration since returning to office in early 2025.
Critics including human rights organizations, civil liberties advocates and faith leaders have denounced the administration’s approach, arguing it undermines constitutional protections and creates a hostile atmosphere for minority communities.
The heightened screening requirements stem from a February executive order that instructed the Department of Homeland Security to “access criminal history record information (CHRI) in the custody of federal criminal justice agencies to the maximum extent permitted by law.”
Applications requiring fingerprint submission will face delays under the new policy, including requests for permanent residency status and citizenship processing.
Immigration officers must resubmit fingerprint data for cases where FBI records were obtained before the April 27 deadline, internal guidance specified.
A USCIS representative told media outlets that the agency “has implemented new security checks to strengthen the vetting and screening of applicants through expanded access to federal criminal databases.”
Officials indicated that “any delay in decision issuance should be brief and resolved shortly.”
