Trump blocks refugee Green Cards, orders deeper vetting and social media reviews: Impact on Indians?

Green card applications from refugees and asylum recipients have been quietly halted by the Trump administration, freezing the legal status of individuals who were previously cleared to remain in the U.S., CBS News has learned.

Multiple sources confirmed to CBS News that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently ordered officials to pause processing legal permanent residency applications from immigrants granted protection under refugee or asylum status. The directive has not been publicly announced but has already taken effect, the sources said.

The decision leaves many approved refugees, who have already demonstrated credible fears of persecution in their home countries, in legal limbo.

In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed the move, linking it to two executive actions signed by former President Donald Trump. One of those directives questions the immigration vetting policies implemented during the Biden administration.

"USCIS is placing a temporary pause on finalizing certain Adjustment of Status applications pending the completion of additional screening and vetting to identify potential fraud, public safety, or national security concerns, in alignment" with Trump's executive actions, DHS said. “Adjustment of status” refers to the official green card process.

In a parallel step, the Trump team is also expanding scrutiny of social media profiles for immigrants applying for legal status, including green cards, asylum, and U.S. citizenship. According to USCIS, the review is part of "enhanced identity verification, vetting and national security screening."

While USCIS had previously examined social media data for certain immigration cases, the new directive mandates that all applicants must now submit their social media handles for government evaluation.

Earlier, in a notice dated March 5, 2025, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced plans to collect this information from over 3.5 million immigrants annually, including Indians seeking green cards, citizenship, and other benefits, according to Federal Registrar.

The proposal is part of Executive Order 14161, signed by President Trump in January 2025, which aims to tighten immigration screening. Under the new rule, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will require applicants to list their social media handles on nine key immigration forms. While passwords won’t be required, the information will be used to verify identities and assess national security risks