Story perspectives

Trump Orders New FBI Fingerprint Checks, Pauses Pending Applications

4/29/2026

Summary

Trump Orders Checks

President Donald Trump ordered USCIS to begin enhanced security checks for immigration applicants.
USCIS guidance effective April 27, 2026 requires officers to resubmit fingerprint cases for FBI checks.
Officers must pause approval of any pending application lacking the new checks.
The rule, issued after a February order, covers asylum, green-card, naturalization and sponsorship petitions requiring fingerprints.
USCIS spokesperson Zach Kahler said the agency will keep delays brief while prioritizing safety.

Summary

Lawmakers Question Detention

Lawmakers at March Senate confirmation hearing for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary questioned lack of congressional oversight of secret detention facilities.
Detention sites like Berlin, New Hampshire, limit lawyer access more than the Strafford County facility in Dover.
Scholars warn courts could deem immigration actions illegal, risking a constitutional crisis if the administration refuses compliance.
Escalante, a U.S. citizen, says his two DACA-eligible brothers face renewed status uncertainty.

History

Historical Context

President Bill Clinton signed the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act in 1996; its provisions took effect on April 1 1997, mandating nationwide fingerprint checks and expanding the Attorney General’s power to build border barriers. The law also required the addition of at least 1,000 border-patrol agents each year through 2001. USCIS’s April 27 2026 directive revives the original fingerprint requirement, echoing the act’s enforcement legacy.

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Trump Orders Checks

President Donald Trump ordered USCIS to begin enhanced security checks for immigration applicants.
USCIS guidance effective April 27, 2026 requires officers to resubmit fingerprint cases for FBI checks.
Officers must pause approval of any pending application lacking the new checks.
The rule, issued after a February order, covers asylum, green-card, naturalization and sponsorship petitions requiring fingerprints.
USCIS spokesperson Zach Kahler said the agency will keep delays brief while prioritizing safety.

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