US mandates what it calls 'enhanced' security checks for immigration applicants

Rights advocates and civil rights groups says the Trump immigration’s crackdown has violated due process and free speech rights

FILE PHOTO: Candidates take the Oath of Allegiance during their US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) naturalization ceremony at the New York Public Library, in New York City, US, Jul 2, 2024. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo

President Donald Trump's administration has mandated what it calls "enhanced" security checks for immigration applicants, according to internal guidance sent to the employees of the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security.

Internal guidance by USCIS directed officers to refrain from approving any pending cases that have not undergone the expanded background checks. The guidance was first reported by CBS News.

"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," said an internal USCIS email from last week seen by Reuters. The email was sent to USCIS' Refugee, Asylum and International Operations Directorate staff.

Since taking office in early 2025, Trump has pursued an immigration crackdown that his administration says is necessary to improve domestic security and cut illegal immigration.

Human rights advocates, civil rights groups and religious leaders have condemned the crackdown, saying it has violated due process and free speech rights, and created an unsafe environment, particularly for ethnic minorities.

The latest guidance follows an executive order Trump signed in February which directed that "DHS immigration authorities must access criminal history record information (CHRI) in the custody of federal criminal justice agencies to the maximum extent permitted by law."

The enhanced checks will affect pending applications for which immigrants submit fingerprints, like applications for permanent US residency or green cards and naturalization.

USCIS officers were directed to resubmit fingerprints for pending cases if the FBI information for those cases was received prior to Apr 27, the internal guidance said.

In a statement to US media, a USCIS spokesman said the agency "has implemented new security checks to strengthen the vetting and screening of applicants through expanded access to federal criminal databases."

USCIS said that "any delay in decision issuance should be brief and resolved shortly."