New USCIS ‘Special Agents’ Will Be Given the Power to Arrest, Use Deadly Force Against Immigrants

New USCIS ‘Special Agents’ Will Be Given the Power to Arrest, Use Deadly Force Against Immigrants

By: Aaron Reichlin-Melnick and Shev Dalal-Dheini | americanimmigrationcouncil.org| Editorial credit: Walter Cicchetti / Shutterstock.com On September 5, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the agency established by Congress to adjudicate immigration applications, made a startling announcement. For the first time since the agency was created in 2003, the agency will create a new class of […]

Homeland Security Orders Crackdown on Visa Overstays Following Boulder Terror Attack

Homeland Security Orders Crackdown on Visa Overstays Following Boulder Terror Attack

Editorial credit: Robert P. Alvarez / shutterstock.com  WASHINGTON, D.C., June 4, 2025: In a decisive move following a violent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem has directed a nationwide crackdown on visa overstays. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services […]

GOP Budget Reconciliation Plan —Cutting Essential Programs To Supercharge Deportations

GOP Budget Reconciliation Plan —Cutting Essential Programs To Supercharge Deportations

By Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, IMMIGRATION IMPACT  The American Immigration Council does not endorse or oppose candidates for elected office. We aim to provide analysis regarding the implications of the election on the U.S. immigration system. Early Friday morning, the Senate is expected to begin the process for passing a budget reconciliation bill, a somewhat obscure Congressional […]

Precautions Green Card Holders Should Take When Traveling with Pending Criminal Cases or Convictions

Precautions Green Card Holders Should Take When Traveling with Pending Criminal Cases or Convictions

By Brian Figeroux, Esq. | Editorial credit: fuadstephan / shutterstock.com  Traveling with pending criminal cases or past convictions presents significant risks for green card holders. Introduction For lawful permanent residents (LPRs), commonly known as green card holders, traveling—whether domestically or internationally—can be risky if they have pending criminal cases or past convictions. U.S. immigration laws […]