The Trump administration has said it is reviewing previously approved green cards and other immigration benefits issued under President Joe Biden, according to a top government official.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joseph Edlow told One America News that the agency was revisiting past approvals, particularly where fraud could be involved.
“In terms of the people that are perpetrating fraud: Stop, because we are going to find you,” Edlow told the outlet.
“And even if you’ve already [committed fraud], and you think you’ve gotten away with it, we’re going back,” he continued. “As you noted earlier, we are looking at old cases. We are going back and re-vetting cases for people who were granted green cards and granted other benefits during the Biden administration, when there was no vetting. There’s vetting now, and we’re looking at these old cases, so be prepared to face the consequences.”
Newsweek contacted USCIS for comment via email outside regular working hours.
How Many Green Cards Were Granted Under Biden?
In fiscal year 2024, close to 1.4 million immigrants became lawful permanent residents, also known as green card holders, marking a 16 percent increase from the roughly 1.2 million issued in 2023 and a 92 percent rise compared with the approximately 707,000 granted in 2020, according to the Migration Policy Institute.
In a social media post, USCIS said it was “re-vetting cases for people who were granted immigration benefits during the Biden administration,” adding that individuals who committed fraud should “be prepared to face the consequences.”
However, neither Edlow’s interview statements nor USCIS’s social media post was accompanied by detailed policy guidance, leaving uncertainty about how broad the review may be.
Historically, immigration cases may be reopened if authorities identify fraud or misrepresentation, undisclosed criminal history, administrative errors or changes affecting eligibility.
Why Are Old Green Card Cases Being Reviewed?
Republicans have criticized the Biden administration, alleging insufficient vetting and screening measures after border crossings increased under the previous government.
USCIS has not specified which types of immigration benefits are under review, but the term can include lawful permanent residence, temporary visas, asylum or refugee protections, and naturalization applications. Green cards are granted through a range of pathways—including family sponsorship, employment-based programs, humanitarian protections and diversity visas—meaning any re-vetting effort would likely depend on the details of individual cases rather than a single category.
According to USCIS guidance, the agency may initiate revocation or rescission of lawful permanent resident status where eligibility issues such as fraud or error are identified, typically by issuing a Notice of Intent to Rescind and, if challenged, referring the matter to immigration court for a judge to decide.
Earlier this year, USCIS launched Operation PARRIS, a targeted review of refugee cases in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, focusing on several thousand refugees who had already been admitted to the United States. The initiative, according to officials, was designed to reexamine prior approvals for eligibility issues and potential fraud indicators as part of a broader effort to strengthen post-admission vetting.
Last year, following the shooting of two National Guard service members by a suspect from Afghanistan, the Trump administration announced a sweeping immigration enforcement measure that included a comprehensive review of green card holders and other immigration cases tied to designated “countries of concern.” The policy, rolled out in the aftermath of a deadly shooting in Washington, D.C., directed USCIS to reexamine immigration approvals linked to nationals from 19 countries, with officials describing it as a “full-scale, rigorous re-examination” of prior admissions and vetting decisions.
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