In a troubling development for binational couples, foreign spouses of American citizens are facing arrests during what should be routine green card interviews at US Citizenship and Immigration Services offices.
Surge in Immigration Arrests
Immigration lawyers across several American cities have reported a significant increase in arrests occurring during marriage-based green card interviews. These appointments, which typically represent the final step in obtaining permanent residency, have suddenly become sites of apprehension and family separation.
The trend has emerged in recent weeks as part of the current administration's expanding campaign against immigration. Legal professionals note that these arrests represent a dramatic shift in policy at USCIS offices, which previously maintained a distinction from enforcement agencies.
Changing Landscape for Binational Couples
For many couples, the green card interview represents the culmination of a lengthy and expensive immigration process. Married couples typically attend these interviews together, expecting to answer questions about their relationship and provide documentation of their bona fide marriage.
However, the current environment has transformed these appointments into potentially risky encounters. Foreign nationals who have properly filed their applications now face the possibility of immediate detention during what they believed were standard procedures.
Immigration attorneys report that the arrests have occurred even when couples presented substantial evidence of legitimate marriages. The situation has created widespread anxiety among immigrant communities and American citizens with foreign spouses.
Legal Community Response and Consequences
The legal community has expressed alarm at this development, noting that it undermines the integrity of the legal immigration system. Many lawyers are now advising clients to prepare for worst-case scenarios before attending interviews that were once considered routine.
These arrests come amid the president's widening campaign against immigration, which has included various measures targeting both legal and undocumented immigrants. The policy shift reflects an increasingly stringent approach to immigration enforcement across all government agencies.
Families affected by these arrests face immediate separation, legal expenses, and the emotional trauma of seeing loved ones detained during what should have been a positive milestone in their lives together.
