The U.S. government mandates enhanced security checks for immigration applicants, per new internal guidance given to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) employees. Per the internal guidance, USCIS officers refrain from approving pending immigration cases if they haven’t undergone extended background checks. According to Reuters, these new USCIS security checks use fingerprint-based background checks.
Resubmission Guide
USCIS is re-running fingerprint-based background checks for applications that cleared Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) checks before April 27, 2026. These include:
- Adjustment of status applications.
- Naturalization applications.
- Family-based petitions.
- Asylum applications.
USICS uses fingerprints already included in the FBI’s criminal history record information (CHRI). The change in policy doesn’t utilize any new biometric information, just what’s already available. These additional immigration security checks help agents better identify potential public safety and national security threats.
As always, ILBSG actively monitors ongoing U.S. immigration news. If you have questions about any U.S. immigration related issue, contact us. Working with an experienced attorney ensures you get the right advice based on the most recent laws. In an ever-evolving immigration policy landscape, it’s particularly critical you get the right advice.