USCIS extreme vetting expansion on pending cases
Key Questions
What is USCIS expanding in extreme vetting for pending cases?
On April 27-28, 2026, USCIS expanded fingerprints, social media, and criminal rechecks via FBI NGI for family, employment, asylum, green cards, I-485, and N-400 cases. This aligns with enforcement shifts.
How will the USCIS vetting expansion affect processing times?
Confirmed delays and resubmits are expected amid backlogs. USCIS has paused adjudication of fingerprint-based benefit requests.
Which cases are impacted by the new USCIS security checks?
Family, employment, asylum, green card, I-485, and N-400 applications face rechecks, causing slowdowns in approvals.
Is USCIS rechecking old green card cases in 2026?
Yes, USCIS is rechecking old green card cases with enhanced vetting, putting some at risk of delays or issues.
Why are there delays in green cards and citizenship due to USCIS changes?
The background check expansion and extreme vetting across new and pending cases are slowing green cards and N-400 citizenship applications.
Apr 27-28, 2026: fingerprints/social media/criminal rechecks (FBI NGI) on family/employment/asylum/green cards/I-485/N-400; confirmed delays/resubmits amid backlogs. Aligns w/ enforcement/capacity shifts; USCIS pauses.