USCIS to Deploy 200 Armed Agents in New Immigration Fraud Enforcement Unit

Washington D.C. – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the federal agency primarily responsible for processing visas and green cards, has announced a significant shift in its operational mandate by authorizing the creation of a new law enforcement unit. For the first time in its history, USCIS will deploy armed special agents with powers to investigate, arrest, and prosecute individuals involved in immigration fraud. This move, detailed in a final rule published recently, marks an expansion of the agency's role beyond its traditional adjudication functions.

The new unit will train several hundred federal officers, with an initial deployment of approximately 200 agents stationed at immigration offices nationwide. These agents, classified as 1811 officers, will be empowered to carry firearms, make arrests, and execute search warrants. USCIS Director Joseph B. Edlow stated that the force will specifically target cases of fraud, including instances of near-identical applications from the same country or individuals faking disabilities to bypass English proficiency exams.

Historically, USCIS has operated distinctly from enforcement bodies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with its Fraud Detection and National Security unit referring suspected cases to ICE without direct arrest powers. Director Edlow emphasized that the new force is necessary because ICE often lacks the capacity to investigate every lead, allowing USCIS to "more efficiently clear its backlogs of aliens who seek to exploit our immigration system through fraud." He added, "I’m not expecting this to have a chilling effect on applications. I’m expecting this to have a chilling effect on fraudulent applications, and that’s what I want."

The decision has drawn criticism from various quarters, including former government officials and immigration advocacy groups. Doug Rand, a former USCIS official in the Biden administration, described the move as "totally unnecessary" and "a solution in search of a problem." Organizations like the American Immigration Lawyers Association and the National Partnership for New Americans have expressed concerns that the presence of armed agents could deter eligible immigrants from applying for legitimate benefits, creating a "chilling effect" on the immigration process.

This initiative is part of broader measures under the current administration to intensify scrutiny of immigrants and enhance enforcement capabilities within the Department of Homeland Security. The agency aims to uphold the integrity of the immigration system by directly addressing immigration crimes and holding perpetrators accountable, acting as a "force multiplier" for federal law enforcement partners.