On April 27, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) implemented a new security vetting process that has led to a pause on decisions related to immigration cases that require fingerprint-based background checks.
USCIS field and asylum offices across the United States notified applicants and their attorneys that adjudications on their pending cases were subject to a hold pending the roll out of an enhanced fingerprint-based background check protocol. Among the types of cases being impacted include, but are not limited to, adjustment of status (Form I-485), naturalization (Form N-400), family-based petitions, humanitarian applications, and employment-based filings.
The change stems from Executive Order 14385, issued on February 6, 2026, which directs federal criminal justice agencies to share criminal history record information with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which includes USCIS. In response, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) granted USCIS expanded access to its criminal history databases, triggering a requirement that pending cases undergo re-vetting under the new system. USCIS had subsequently published an alert on March 30, 2026 announcing a wide range of “enhanced screening and vetting practices” that include updates to “biometric identify verification when reusing fingerprints.”
Under the new vetting process, fingerprints will need to be resubmitted for almost all pending cases for which fingerprints were previously submitted before April 27, 2026. “USCIS should be able to use the fingerprints already on file,” meaning that, in most instances, applicants will not need to attend new appointments for biometrics collection.[1]
Additionally, the enhanced vetting process may result in greater scrutiny of applicants’ backgrounds, which in turn may lead to the issuance of Requests for Evidence (RFEs) and Notices of Intent to Deny (NOIDs) for matters that had once drawn less attention, such as non-conviction arrests and juvenile criminal records.
Per an agency spokesperson, “[a]ny delay in decision issuance should be brief and resolved shortly.” However, as of the date of this alert, USCIS has not published formal guidance describing the full scope of affected cases nor information regarding the length of the delays.
Should you wish to receive timely updates and further information concerning these and other Immigration matters, please contact Gunster’s Immigration Law Practice.
This publication is for general information only. It is not legal advice, and legal counsel should be contacted before any action is taken that might be influenced by this publication.
[1] Attributed to the American Immigration Lawyer Association (AILA), AILA Doc. No. 26042805 (Updated 5/5/2026)
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