U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, a federal agency known for handling green cards and citizenship applications, will soon have its own police force that can arrest immigrants — and their attorneys — for fraud.
The move, a major departure from the agency’s typical operations, is the latest in the Trump administration’s escalation of immigration enforcement and deportations. Under this new rule, announced on Thursday, USCIS will be equipped with officers who can make arrests, carry firearms and execute search warrants, according to a press release from the Department of Homeland Security.
In delegating these authorities, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has also expanded the powers of the USCIS director, who will be able to order the expedited removal of immigrants, enabling the government to deport people without a hearing. This change will allow USCIS to arrest, prosecute and remove people who are accused of violating immigration laws instead of referring these cases to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The new emphasis on enforcement and deportation differs notably from the role that USCIS has usually played. Housed under the Department of Homeland Security, USCIS has historically reviewed immigrants’ applications for citizenship, permanent residency and work visas, describing itself as the agency that oversees “lawful immigration to the U.S.”
