USCIS Strengthens National Security and Restores Commonsense Immigration Policies

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WASHINGTON – April 29, 2025 – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a series of sweeping actions to enhance national security, address vulnerabilities in immigration policy, and restore commonsense operational standards. The efforts are part of the broader mission under the Trump Administration to reduce exploitation of humanitarian programs and assist enforcement agencies in identifying and removing illegal aliens.

In its first 100 days, USCIS has restored robust screening and vetting protocols, emphasized fraud detection and deterrence, and partnered with other federal agencies to reduce unauthorized border crossings and improve public safety. The agency has focused on swiftly removing violent criminal aliens and ensuring that every alien in the United States is properly registered in accordance with the law.

“In the first 100 days, USCIS put a stop to disastrous Biden-era ‘humanitarian’ policies that invited fraud and allowed criminal aliens to legally live and work in our communities,” said USCIS Spokesman Matthew Tragesser. “Aliens, immigration attorneys and non-government organizations take note: the days of exploiting our immigration system are over. Aliens who want to live and work in America need to do it legally or get out.”

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As part of its effort to enhance enforcement, USCIS implemented the Alien Registration Requirement (ARR), a tool to support national security and track the presence and activity of non-citizens in the country. Through the ARR Determination Tool, applicants are guided through questions to determine whether they must submit Form G-325R, Biographic Information (Registration). To date, nearly 47,000 submissions have been received, and the agency continues to promote awareness and stress the consequences of non-compliance.

In support of broader enforcement operations, USCIS has deployed approximately 450 volunteers to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), covering 85 detention facilities across the United States. Since January 20, 2025, USCIS has been involved in 369 arrests at field offices, reflecting a close partnership with ICE, the Diplomatic Security Service, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Maryland. Notably, USCIS played a key role in dismantling a large-scale marriage fraud ring, leading to indictments and arrests of several individuals involved in immigration fraud.

The agency is also actively closing vetting loopholes from the previous administration and reinforcing terrorism-related inadmissibility grounds to prevent members of transnational crime organizations from receiving immigration benefits.

Further, USCIS has moved to end exploitation of categorical parole and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designations. The Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan, and Venezuelan parole program has been terminated, with approximately 531,000 individuals notified of the end of their parole and employment authorization. They have been encouraged to report their departure using the CBP One app. Additionally, USCIS rescinded Haiti’s TPS extension and ended Venezuela’s 2023 designation.

To restore screening strength, USCIS completed 7,120 benefit fraud records, identified fraud in 4,664 cases, and referred hundreds of records to ICE for criminal investigation. The agency also conducted over 2,200 workplace site visits and screened 3,568 subjects for social media activity, including anti-American and antisemitic content. Social media vetting is now officially used in discretionary benefit adjudications.

USCIS is also modernizing the SAVE (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements) database, removing transaction fees and integrating data like immigration timelines and criminal history to help government agencies prevent misuse of public benefits or illegal voting.

In another policy change, USCIS returned to recognizing only two biological sexes—male and female—for immigration and sports eligibility purposes. New policy guidance also waives COVID-19 vaccination requirements for green card applicants.

Moreover, USCIS has ended its coordination of naturalization ceremonies with sanctuary cities that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, citing safety and legal compliance concerns.

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