Trump immigration policy changes

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ICE, detention, and deportation

Recent immigration changes are affecting how immigration enforcement works across the United States. ICE is increasing activity in more communities, with some areas seeing targeted operations.

More people are being detained, including some people with legal status. Many are being held in detention for longer periods and under unsafe conditions. The government is also using faster deportation processes.

See our guides for current updates:

How to prepare for ICE
Learn where ICE is showing up, who is most at risk, what your rights are, and how to create a safety plan for yourself and your family.

Know what to expect in detention
Learn what immigration detention is like, your basic rights in detention, and how to find help if you or a loved one is held by ICE.

How to prepare for immigration court
Learn what happens after a Notice to Appear, how immigration court is currently working, and steps you can take to prepare for your case.

Refugee changes

The U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), which allows refugees to resettle in the U.S., has been suspended indefinitely as of January 22, 2025. The Pacito v. Rubio case is still active, and judges have kept the suspension in place while they consider a full opinion.

• Refugee admissions: The government plans to admit up to 17,500 refugees in fiscal year 2027, which begins October 1, 2026. Most places would go to Afrikaners from South Africa.
• Refugee re-interviews are continuing: The government is re-interviewing some refugees who have lived in the U.S. for at least one year and have not yet received a Green Card. If you have a pending Green Card application (Form I-485) and receive an interview notice, you should prepare for it to include a review of your original refugee case.
• Planned arrests of refugees are currently blocked: A federal court stopped a policy that would have allowed the government to arrest and detain refugees nationwide during these reviews.
• Operation PARRIS court case. A Judge blocked the arrests of refugees under this operation in Minnesota.
• All pending Green Card applications for refugees are on hold for those admitted between January 20, 2021, and February 20, 2025. Some Green Cards may still be issued for refugees following the completion of a “re-interview” process.
• Refugee ban remains. The government is keeping the refugee ban in place, so refugees will still only be able to come to the U.S. if they get an exemption from the ban.
• Refugee travel remains limited. Refugee resettlement has resumed, but only for Afrikaners and a small number of others who have gotten an exemption from the refugee ban.
• Resettlement services impacted. Resettlement agencies have restarted services helping newly arrived refugees and SIVs.

• Learn more about refugee changes

Asylum changes

• Asylum decisions have restarted. USCIS is starting to make decisions again on new or pending asylum applications after a pause. USCIS is now reviewing asylum cases more closely, so you may experience delays.
• Some asylum cases can now be sent directly to immigration court. USCIS can refer your application without interviewing you, based only on your application. This places you in removal proceedings, where you can still ask a judge for asylum or other protections.
• Asylum denials without a hearing. Some asylum cases may be denied before a final hearing if the government decides the case is not strong enough or the application is incomplete.
• New asylum application fee. There is now a $100 fee to apply for asylum. Fee waivers are not available.
• Annual asylum application fee. As of February 2, 2026, asylum seekers have to pay the $102 yearly asylum fee if your application has been pending for more than 1 year. This is different from the initial filing fee. You may get a notice that states when your fee is due, or check online. Due to an ongoing lawsuit, USCIS cannot reject an asylum application, end a work permit, or start removal proceedings only because you did not pay the annual asylum fee. It is still important to pay the fee.

• Learn more about asylum

Status de Proteção Temporária (TPS)

The U.S. government has ended or scheduled the end of almost all TPS designations. Some TPS protections remain in place for now, and court cases or new government decisions can change end dates.

• Check TPS information by country

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DACA

The future of DACA is uncertain as the current administration continues to challenge the program in court. There has been a lot of news and confusion, but nothing has changed yet.

• Renewals remain open. People with DACA can still renew their protections, work permits, and travel documents.
• Processing of renewals is taking longer. Even if you apply on time, your case may be delayed due to additional review.
• First-time applications are not being processed, even though the government said in court they could restart soon. 
• DACA recipients in Texas can still use their work permits, even though the government said in court that they may lose access in the future.

• Get current DACA updates

Green Cards, visas, & immigration applications

• Stricter guidance on Green Card applications inside the U.S. USCIS may now look more closely at some Green Card applications filed inside the U.S., especially for people who entered with parole or a temporary visa. Some USCIS officers are asking applicants why they are applying inside the U.S. instead of through a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad.
• Green Card applications are being reviewed more closely. Working without authorization, overstaying a visa, violating the terms of a temporary visa or parole may affect your case. You may experience requests for more evidence, longer processing times, or additional interviews.
• If you are from a travel ban country: A federal court blocked USCIS policies that paused or added extra review to certain immigration cases. USCIS must continue processing affected cases for now, but delays are still possible. The government has appealed, and the rules could change. This ruling does not end the travel ban.
• On August 21, 2026, a federal court ended the pause on immigrant visas for people from 75 countries. The government is required to process visas again from these countries.  If your visa was denied only because of the pause, the court ordered that your application be reconsidered. The separate U.S. travel ban is still in effect and may still prevent people from 23 of the 75 countries from receiving an immigrant visa or entering the U.S.
• The State Department has temporarily paused immigrant visa appointments at U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide while officers receive new training on public charge screening. If you already have an interview scheduled, your appointment may be rescheduled. Check messages from the embassy or consulate handling your case. The government has not said when appointments will resume.
• Green Card reviews: USCIS has created a new unit called LPR Operations to review some Green Card cases involving possible fraud, public safety concerns, or national security concerns. Do not ignore any notice from USCIS or immigration court.
• If you have a Green Card and a criminal history, you face new risks when coming back to the U.S. You could be treated as seeking admission, detained, and placed in removal proceedings that could ultimately result in the loss of your permanent resident status.
• If you are an Afghan national: You are included in the travel ban rules. A federal court ruled that the government must continue reviewing Afghan SIV cases that were already filed. The government does not have to issue visas yet, and new SIV applications are still closed. If you have a pending SIV case and already have an approved Chief of Mission (COM) application, you should consider postponing your visa interview. Afghans who already have a visa in hand can still travel for now.
• Afghan Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) are subject to the travel ban, but SIV holders can still travel. If you have an approved SIV case and have been issued a visa, you may travel to the U.S. You can now get help scheduling and paying for your flight through IOM. You will be connected to refugee resettlement support upon arrival. You can reach out for support to siv_ope@iom.int. IOM is not supporting people leaving Afghanistan.
• Casos de reunião familiar (I-730) para requerentes de asilo e refugiados podem prosseguir. A maioria dos casos de reunião familiar está sendo processada no exterior; o asilado terá permissão para viajar, mas os beneficiários agora devem pagar os próprios exames médicos e despesas de viagem. No entanto, os casos de reunião familiar para pessoas de países mencionados na proibição de viagem estão sendo negados após entrevista consular. A maioria dos casos de refugiados que pedem reunião familiar ainda está suspensa no exterior. As viagens para os EUA também estão suspensas. 
• If you are from Venezuela: You are now included in the rules for the travel ban countries.
• Se você é da Palestina, os EUA pararam de emitir todos os vistos de visitante, inclusive por motivos pessoais, acadêmicos, comerciais e médicos.
• Se você é do Sudão do Sul, seu visto dos EUA pode ser revogado, e seu pedido de visto pode não ser processado. Você deve receber uma notificação se isso se aplicar a você. Descubra se essa situação afeta você.  
• If you applied for a visa from Juba, South Sudan; Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo; or Kampala, Uganda, your visa interview and processing are paused due to an Ebola outbreak. Canceled interviews will be rescheduled later. Valid visas are not affected.
• Immigration officers are to look at certain health conditions. All your circumstances must be reviewed when deciding if you may become a public charge (someone the government believes may rely on public benefits). This can affect whether you can get a U.S. visa. They can now consider chronic health conditions, including obesity, when making this decision.
• DV lottery is still on hold. The DV-2027 registration period has been delayed since 2025, and the government has not announced if and when it will open. A court ordered the U.S. government to resume processing certain DV-2026 cases.
• Taxas mais altas, regras mais rígidas e tempos de espera mais longos para pedidos de asilo, status de proteção temporária, liberdade condicional, visto e autorização de trabalho (incluindo nos tribunais de imigração).
• Incomplete applications can now be denied without a request for more evidence. Carefully check all requirements before you submit.
• More information in the refugee, asylum, and TPS sections.

Cidadania

Cidadania por nascimento

The Supreme Court confirmed that children born in the United States are U.S. citizens at birth, even if their parents are undocumented or have temporary immigration status.

This means the government cannot move forward with the executive order trying to limit birthright citizenship.

On August 6, President Trump signed two executive orders related to birthright citizenship and travel to the U.S. to give birth.

Order 1: Tells federal agencies not to recognize U.S. citizenship in certain situations where neither parent is a U.S. citizen. Much of what this order says is already in the law, and it is not yet clear how it will be enforced. These situations include when:

• Either parent is a member of a designated foreign terrorist organization.
• Either parent works for a foreign government in an official role, works at a foreign embassy or consulate, or works for an international organization and has immunity.
• Either parent used fraud or a commercial arrangement to plan a U.S. birth for citizenship, including through surrogacy.
• Note: On September 2, 2026, a federal judge temporarily blocked enforcement of this order against children born in the U.S. after February 19, 2025, who are covered by the lawsuit. The court said these children are U.S. citizens.

Order 2: Directs federal agencies to prevent foreign nationals from using nonimmigrant visas to travel to the U.S. for the purpose of giving birth. Possible actions include denying or revoking visas, denying entry, deportation, or permanently barring someone from entering the U.S.

These orders do not state that all children born in the U.S. to noncitizen parents will lose citizenship.

Teste cívico de naturalização de 2025

USCIS is making changes to the civics part of the citizenship test. If you filed your N-400 on or after October 20, 2025, you will take a new version of the test. The number of possible questions and the number you must answer correctly has increased.

• Learn more about civics test changes and find study questions

Citizenship processing and enforcement

• The government is increasing its efforts to take away citizenship in some cases. Naturalized citizenship can be revoked if it was obtained illegally or through intentional concealment or misrepresentation of an important fact. A federal judge decides whether or not to revoke a person’s citizenship, and it is quite uncommon.
• Os agentes de imigração podem considerar fatores adicionais ao decidir se os candidatos à cidadania possuem boa conduta moral.
• More citizenship applications are not being approved, with a 24% increase in denials.
• Citizenship applications now take longer to process under the Trump administration. The average wait for an answer has increased from about 5 months to nearly 8 months. More delays are expected.

Liberdade condicional humanitária

The U.S. government has ended or severely restricted many humanitarian parole programs. Humanitarian parole allows people to come to the U.S. temporarily for urgent reasons, like escaping danger or getting medical care. 

• USCIS stopped accepting applications that require Form I-134A. This includes Processes for CHNV, Ukrainian parole, CAM parole, and family reunification parole.
• Processes for CHNV have ended. On May 30, 2025, the Supreme Court decided to allow the Trump administration to end parole status for those here through CHNV processes. If you had parole status, it ended on May 30th. There are further court cases reviewing this. If you had CHNV parole, speak with an immigration attorney about other options for legal status.
• Fast-track deportations may apply to some people who entered with humanitarian parole. In August 2026, a federal appeals court lifted an earlier block, allowing the government to use expedited removal for some parolees while the court case continues.
• A court ruling requires the U.S. government to resume processing applications for people with humanitarian parole. This includes work permits, asylum, TPS, adjustment of status, and re-parole. The ruling applies to people who entered through programs like CHNV, Uniting for Ukraine, Operation Allies Welcome, CAM, family reunification, and Military Parole in Place. If you are in one of these programs and already in the U.S., you may now be able to apply again for a more permanent legal status.
• The Ukrainian parole program is paused. You can no longer file new applications. If you currently have parole through this program, you may be able to file for re-parole. 
• The Afghan parole program is restricted.
• CBP One parole ruling: A judge ruled that the April 2025 mass email did not legally end parole. However, the government later took new steps to terminate parole. On July 15, the judge did not order that those terminations be stopped or that parole be restored. The government must tell affected people that the April 2025 email cannot be used against them, but this does not mean their parole is still active. If you received a termination notice, ask a trusted legal provider to confirm your current status.
• Family reunification parole (FRP) remains protected by a court order for now. For people covered by the order, parole and related work authorization remain valid through their original expiration dates while the court case continues.
• New fee for parole. If you are approved for parole or re-parole, you generally must pay an additional immigration parole fee unless you qualify for an exception. The government will notify you and provide instructions on how to pay. Do not pay this fee when you submit Form I-131.

Save USAHello’s Immigration Guide

usahello.org/safety has more details on immigration changes, legal status options, preparing for raids and court, staying safe, and finding help.

Go to guide

O que você pode fazer agora

Aqui estão coisas importantes a considerar:

1. Converse com um advogado de imigração: conheça suas opções para ficar nos EUA
2. Conheça seus direitos: saiba o que fazer se um agente de imigração te parar. 
   • Direito de permanecer em silêncio.Você não precisa responder perguntas sobre onde você nasceu ou como entrou nos EUA
   • Right to refuse a search. You can say that you do not agree to a search of yourself, your home, your car, or your belongings. Officers may still search in certain situations without your permission. ICE generally needs a warrant signed by a judge or your permission to enter your home.
   • Right to speak with an attorney. If you are detained by ICE, you have the right to seek legal help, but the government is not required to provide you with a lawyer. If you are arrested by police, you have the right to a government-appointed lawyer.
3. Faça um plano de segurança: prepare-se para situações como detenção, deportação ou separação repentina da sua família.
   • Decida quem vai cuidar dos seus filhos ou administrar suas finanças.
   • Guarde com segurança e faça cópias de documentos importantes, como certidões de nascimento, passaportes e registros de imigração.
   • Guarde as informações de contato de um advogado de confiança e de familiares.
   • Baixe o aplicativo Ready Now para criar seu plano de emergência pessoal.
4. Always carry proof of your lawful status, if applicable. Also, carry proof that you have lived in the U.S. for at least 2 years, such as a lease, bank statement, or pay stub. This can help you avoid expedited removal. The law does not require original documents. Many people choose to carry copies in case documents are lost or taken.
5. Call an immigration hotline: Report raids, seek help if you are detained, or report missing migrants. Also, memorize the National Immigration Detention Hotline: 9233# from a detention facility.
6. Considere os riscos de uma viagem internacional: se você não é cidadão dos EUA, consulte um advogado de imigração antes de planejar a viagem.
   • Certifique-se de que seu visto e passaporte estejam em dia.
   • Acompanhe as atualizações sobre políticas de viagem que podem afetar você ou sua família. 
7. Apply and renew for eligible benefits: Take action now to avoid losing your status or benefits. Speak with a lawyer first to make sure you are eligible.
   • Mantenha o EAD válido e garanta que o status seja renovado. 
   • Se você tem um Green Card (Cartão de Residente Permanente) e tem direito à cidadania, considere fazer a solicitação agora.
   • Se você estiver totalmente sem documentos e ainda não estiver no sistema do DHS, consulte um advogado primeiro para entender os riscos e benefícios potenciais antes de se candidatar.
8. Crie um plano de segurança digital: proteja suas redes sociais e contas online. Use senhas fortes, limite o que você compartilha e tenha cuidado com quem você se conecta.
9. Proteja-se de golpes: aprenda a evitar golpes relacionados à imigração que tentam tirar vantagem dessas circunstâncias.
10. Cuide da sua saúde mental: pode ser difícil lidar com o estresse e o medo. Encontre apoio e procure ajuda, se precisar.
11. Find a local organization: Search online or on social media for trusted immigrant community organizations in your area. These groups can offer local numbers to call, updates about ICE activity, rapid response, and mutual aid support. 
12. Tome uma atitude: Você tem o direito de se manifestar. Antes de protestar, compartilhar sua história ou entrar em contato com as autoridades, conheça seus direitos e planeje sua segurança, especialmente se não for cidadão dos EUA.
    • Conheça seus direitos ao participar de protestos
    • Saiba como expressar sua opinião ao governo
    • Confira dicas sobre como contar sua história

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A importância de uma boa informação

Em tempos incertos, informações falsas se espalham rapidamente. Isso pode deixar as pessoas com medo e confusas. É importante obter fatos de fontes confiáveis, não de boatos ou redes sociais. Além disso, pense antes de compartilhar informações sobre as quais você não tem certeza. 

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