New York: In a significant escalation of its immigration enforcement strategy, the United States has granted sweeping new powers to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), traditionally known as the agency that processes visas and green cards. The move, announced on September 4, will take effect in 30 days and marks a decisive shift in the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration.
Under the new directive, USCIS “special agents” will be authorized to investigate, arrest, carry firearms, and execute search and arrest warrants in immigration-related cases. The order, signed by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, expands the agency’s role beyond its conventional administrative functions, placing it closer to enforcement arms like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).
According to the DHS notification, the expanded authority is aimed at bolstering national security, detecting fraud, and strengthening public safety. It also empowers USCIS leadership, including Director Joseph B. Edlow, to order expedited removals and investigate both civil and criminal violations of immigration laws within the agency’s jurisdiction. To support these functions, DHS will authorize USCIS to recruit and train special agents specifically tasked with carrying out enforcement duties.
Defending the move, USCIS Director Edlow stated, “USCIS has always been an enforcement agency… this rule allows us to fulfill our critical mission.” He said the powers would enable the agency to play a greater role in identifying immigration crimes and supporting prosecutions, describing the measure as necessary to protect the integrity of the immigration system.
The decision comes amid a broader push by the Trump administration to tighten immigration policies. Recent measures have included closer scrutiny of applicants suspected of holding “anti-American ideologies” and an increase in denial rates for immigration benefits on discretionary grounds. Together, these steps underline the administration’s intent to expand the enforcement capacity of federal immigration agencies and reshape USCIS into a more aggressive actor in the immigration landscape.
By arming USCIS with law enforcement powers, the government has effectively turned what was once a purely administrative body into an enforcement arm, underscoring its commitment to intensifying the crackdown on illegal immigration across the country.