The Trump administration has directed officials to probe any ‘anti-American’ sentiments among immigrants seeking benefits such as green cards and work permits. This move could potentially lead to application denials.
USCIS Flags "Anti-American" Views As Key Factor In Denials
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has instructed officials to scrutinize whether applicants for specific immigration benefits have “endorsed, promoted, supported, or otherwise espoused anti-American views or the views of a terrorist organization or group,” including on social media, reported CBS News.
The directive states that if applicants are linked to these groups or hold similar views, officials should treat it as an "overwhelmingly negative factor" warranting denial. This policy applies to discretionary immigration benefits, even when applicants meet legal qualifications.
The USCIS will assess “anti-American” beliefs and actions under a U.S. immigration law provision that bars immigrants from obtaining citizenship if they promote world communism, totalitarianism, violence against officials, or the overthrow of the U.S. government.
Matthew Tragesser, USCIS' chief spokesperson, said that U.S. immigration benefits should not be awarded to individuals who "despise the country." However, Stephen Yale-Loehr, a U.S. immigration law expert, voiced concerns over the subjective wording in the new guidance, warning it could provide USCIS adjudicators with additional grounds to deny petitions at their discretion.
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Trump’s immigration crackdown could push inflation
This is the latest in a series of measures taken by the Trump administration to tighten immigration policies. In August, the U.S. initiated a pilot program that requires certain inbound travelers to post bonds of up to $15,000 for entry, targeting visitors from selected countries. This followed a travel ban imposed in June on nationals from 12 countries and the introduction of a $250 “visa integrity fee” in July.
Mark Zandi, the chief economist at Moody’s, has warned that the immigration policies of President Donald Trump could potentially cause inflation to rise from the current 2.5% to almost 4% by the start of next year. The White House is reportedly deporting an average of 750 immigrants daily, a move Zandi believes is contributing to rising costs and inflation.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
