Trump administration pauses green card applications, Indian immigrants affected?

The Trump administration has reportedly put a hold on certain green card applications, raising concerns among immigration advocates and applicants. A U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official confirmed to Newsweek that the pause on some adjustment of status applications stems from two executive orders signed by former President Donald Trump.

Azadeh Erfani, Director of Policy at the National Immigrant Justice Center, strongly criticized the decision, calling it “a baseless move to paint all immigrants as a national security risk.” The administration has yet to clarify which specific applications are affected and how long the pause will last.

How will the pause affect immigrants?

The decision could prolong the already lengthy wait times for permanent residency in the U.S. The Trump administration has repeatedly emphasized its commitment to strict immigration enforcement, and some fear that individuals without criminal records could also be targeted for deportation to meet enforcement goals.

This move has caused unease, especially among Indian immigrants, who represent one of the largest migrant groups in the U.S. As of 2023, over 2.9 million Indian immigrants lived in the country, according to Migration Policy Institute data. The Indian immigrant population has grown substantially since 1960, with the highest influx occurring between 2000 and 2023.

Uncertainty and additional vetting

Laura Collins, director of the Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative, noted that green card applicants already undergo rigorous vetting. “Refugees and asylees must submit extensive documentation to be approved for permanent residency. The U.S. government has already vetted these individuals before allowing them to stay,” Collins told NBC News.

Collins recalled that during Trump’s first administration, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) enforced strict form-filling rules, rejecting applications for minor omissions like an empty middle name field. Additionally, USCIS has been known to scrutinize social media profiles and other personal data to delay or reject applications.

Backlog and growing delays

Between October 2023 and September 2024, approximately 67,800 green card applications were filed by asylum seekers, while nearly 40,000 applications came from refugees who had been in the U.S. for at least a year. The average wait times for these applications were already around 10 and 8 months, respectively. With the new pause, decisions on these cases could face even further delays.

Executive orders behind the decision

The DHS attributed the green card freeze to two executive orders:

‘Protecting The United States From Foreign Terrorists And Other National Security And Public Safety Threats’ – This order mandates increased screening of individuals applying for legal status in the U.S., including those already living in the country.
‘Designating Cartels And Other Organizations As Foreign Terrorist Organizations And Specially Designated Global Terrorists’ – This order directs federal agencies to impose tougher restrictions on immigration from regions deemed security risks.

David Bier, Director of Immigration Studies at the Cato Institute, condemned the move, stating in an X (formerly Twitter) post: “DHS is suspending green card applications for people already living in the U.S. with asylee or refugee status! These applications have insane wait times already, and Trump is freezing them solely to make it easier to deny them and deport applicants.”

Widespread criticism from immigration advocates

Erfani also denounced the decision, saying, “USCIS already conducts extensive vetting of all green card applicants. Our clients wait over a year for processing, and this halt will unfairly block eligible individuals from gaining permanent residency.”

With the pause in place, thousands of hopeful immigrants now face even greater uncertainty, as advocacy groups push for clarity on the decision’s scope and duration.