USCIS Announces Updates to Increased Screening and Vetting Procedures

On 3/30/26, USCIS released an update regarding increased vetting procedures. Notably, USCIS announced that it has established procedures to lift benefit processing holds for certain individuals and groups, including individuals "vetted through Operation PARRIS, certain petitions filed by U.S. citizens, intercountry adoption forms, certain rescheduled oath ceremonies, statutory and regulatory decision issuance, refugee registrations for South African citizens/nationals, certain special immigrant visa petitions, certain employment authorization documents, and asylum applications from non high-risk countries. As of 4/30/26, “applications associated with medical physicians” were added to this list of those for whom holds have been lifted; the change to the announcement was undated.