In December 2025, USCIS effectively halted all approvals for refugee green cards, a significant shift in immigration policy. Concurrently, ICE and USCIS have reinterpreted an existing statute, allowing ICE to arrest refugees who have not yet received their green cards, reversing a long-standing internal policy that prohibited such actions.
Key Details:
- Date of policy change: December 2025
- USCIS has stopped virtually all approvals for refugee green cards
- ICE can now arrest refugees awaiting green card approval
- This change rescinds a previous internal policy that forbade such arrests
This policy shift may have serious implications for refugees in the United States, as it increases the risk of detention for those awaiting their green card approvals. Need help with your immigration case? Visit QuickFiling.us for professional immigration services.
Source: Cato Institute