U.S. halts certain green card applications for vetting

The U.S. government has paused the processing of some green card applications. This decision affects certain individuals, including approved refugees. The aim is to conduct a more thorough vetting of immigrants. Officials from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) have directed a temporary halt on legal permanent residency requests submitted by immigrants who have been granted refuge or asylum. These individuals have already demonstrated they could face persecution if they returned to their home countries after a long vetting process. The Trump administration has been scrutinizing various immigration programs. It has suspended the refugee process and closed the asylum system at the U.S.-Mexico border. These actions are facing legal challenges in federal court. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the pause in green card applications. They stated it is necessary to comply with President Trump's executive orders, which focus on improving immigration vetting procedures. The pause aims to identify possible fraud, public safety, or national security risks associated with the applications. Additionally, the Trump administration has recently paused all immigration applications from immigrants from Latin America and Ukraine. These moves underscore a commitment to tighten legal immigration procedures. Authorities have expressed concerns over inadequate vetting and potential fraud. The administration also plans to scrutinize the social media accounts of immigrants seeking legal status. USCIS will require applicants to submit their social media handles for further review. This measure is intended to enhance security screening and identity verification during the immigration process.