The Trump administration has established a new unit dedicated to scrutinising the criminal histories of green card holders to determine whether they could be subject to deportation. President Donald Trump, who has consistently criticised his predecessor's approach to immigration vetting, set up the Tactical Operations Division within US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to reassess these decisions, as reported by The New York Times.
New Unit and Its Operations
Currently, 40 immigration officers are assigned to the 'LPR Operations' branch, focusing on identifying green card holders who may have committed fraud or pose a threat to the United States, according to internal documents obtained by the Times. Previously, USCIS only reviewed a green card holder's criminal history when they applied for renewal, naturalisation, or another benefit.
Zach Kahler, a USCIS spokesperson, told the Daily Mail that the agency is 'evolving through organizational realignments to better protect American citizens and support our mission priorities.' He emphasised that USCIS's primary mission is to safeguard America through rigorous vetting and screening of aliens. Kahler stated that the agency will continue to implement changes as opportunities to strengthen the US immigration system are identified.
Scope of Re-vetting
Those being re-vetted include immigrants arrested and convicted of various crimes, such as sexual assault, domestic violence, DUI, and possession of drug paraphernalia. The unit also reviews cases where USCIS agents determined that individuals lied to obtain permanent resident status, as well as those who have admitted to membership in organisations suspected of illegally obtaining export-controlled information and technology for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard.
Federal law allows for the deportation of green card holders for reasons including convictions of certain crimes or fraudulently obtaining lawful permanent resident status. Convictions for murder, drug trafficking, or some minor offences can also lead to deportation. However, misdemeanours like a first-time DUI without injuries typically do not make a green card holder eligible for deportation.
Legal Process and Criticism
If USCIS determines that a green card holder is eligible for deportation, the individual usually has the opportunity to appear before an immigration judge, who issues a final decision. However, the Trump administration's proactive approach to seeking deportations has drawn criticism from some former Homeland Security officials, who question whether it is the best use of the department's resources.
USCIS had over 11 million pending applications for various immigration benefits at the end of September, a number that has roughly doubled since the end of 2019, according to the latest publicly available data. Internal data obtained by the Times shows that of the 2,890 cases reviewed as of May 7, 80 percent were deemed as requiring 'no further action.' More than 500 green card holders remain under review, and tens of thousands more have been identified for review, a person familiar with the matter told the outlet.
Sarah Pierce, a former policy analyst at USCIS now serving as director of special policy at the centre-left think tank Third Way, expressed concerns: 'There have been a lot of questions about whether or not this is a responsible use of USCIS's resources, especially when you consider how backlogged the agency is. I think the numbers only continue to raise those questions.' The Daily Mail has reached out to the White House for comment.
