USCIS Enacts Stricter Marriage-Based Green Card Rules, Makes Interviews Mandatory

USCIS Enacts Stricter Marriage-Based Green Card Rules, Makes Interviews Mandatory

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has introduced sweeping updates to marriage-based green card policies—effective August 1, 2025—mandating in-person interviews in nearly all spousal visa cases and sharply increasing evidentiary requirements to detect fraudulent petitions.  What’s Changed? 1. Mandatory In-Person Interviews for Nearly All Cases USCIS now requires face-to-face interviews in essentially all marriage-based […]

USCIS May Place Green Card Applicants into Removal Proceedings Under New Policy

USCIS May Place Green Card Applicants into Removal Proceedings Under New Policy

Washington, D.C. – August 6, 2025 – In a major policy shift, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is now warning that individuals applying for family-based green cards—particularly marriage-based petitions—could be placed directly into removal (deportation) proceedings if found ineligible. This update, effective August 1, 2025, states that approval of a family-based petition no longer ensures […]

Citizenship Applications in 2025 Amidst Heightened Scrutiny by the Trump Administration

Citizenship Applications in 2025 Amidst Heightened Scrutiny by the Trump Administration

By Brian Figeroux, Esq.  The process of applying for U.S. citizenship has always been complex, but in 2025, under the Trump Administration’s intensified immigration policies, the path to naturalization has become even more challenging. With an ongoing crackdown on immigrants, naturalization applications face increased scrutiny, particularly for those who obtained green cards through marriage. If […]

Pathways to Legal Status for Individuals Who Entered the USA Without Inspection

Pathways to Legal Status for Individuals Who Entered the USA Without Inspection

By Brian Figeroux, Esq. | Editorial Credit: Charles McClintock Wilson / shutterstock.com Introduction: Understanding the Challenges and Opportunities for EWI Individuals For individuals who have entered the United States without inspection (EWI), the journey toward legal status and obtaining a green card is complex but not impossible. EWI refers to individuals who cross the U.S. […]