The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced a series of strengthened screening and vetting measures aimed at enhancing national security and public safety, particularly for applicants from high-risk countries.

In a statement released Tuesday (March), USCIS said its review of pending workloads and benefit applications revealed that prior screening measures were “wholly inadequate.” According to the agency, many applicants for naturalisation and lawful permanent residence were not sufficiently vetted, creating risks to national security and public safety while undermining the integrity of the immigration system.

To address these gaps, USCIS implemented multiple policy memoranda placing on hold applications for asylum, benefits from high-risk countries, and diversity visa adjustment of status applications. The agency also launched Operation PARRIS, a programme that conducts additional background checks, re-interviews, and merit reviews of refugee claims in collaboration with the USCIS Vetting Centre.

Other updated practices include:

• Shortening validity periods for certain employment authorisation documents to allow more frequent security checks;
• Strengthening identity verification through updated photograph reuse policies and biometric checks;
• Expanding social media, financial, and community vetting;
• Developing system connectivity for automatic notifications of new criminal information; and
• Requiring final arrest reviews and Department of State database checks before adjudication.

USCIS said it has also developed a country-specific risk analysis in coordination with the Department of State and is implementing a layered vetting plan using classified and unclassified information, expanded criminal history checks, and ad hoc security measures. Guidance is being prepared to help adjudicators align interview resources to the specific risks identified for each country, including document reliability concerns and links to designated Foreign Terrorist Organisations.

“USCIS will continue to strengthen our screening and vetting procedures to ensure maximum protection for national security and public safety, and to root out fraud in the immigration system,” the agency said. “Our ongoing efforts are designed to ensure that only eligible and vetted individuals are granted immigration benefits.”