USCIS AI Alert: EGIS III Upgrade Will Scrutinize EB-3 PERM Filings in 2026

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is preparing a major artificial intelligence upgrade to its Enterprise Gateway and Integration Services (EGIS) system, awarding a contract valued between $50 million and $100 million for EGIS III. The new system will expand beyond its current data integration role to include AI-enabled anomaly detection, fraud risk scoring, and decision support for adjudicating immigration benefit requests. This development comes as enforcement is already intensifying. On October 8, 2026, Department of Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling announced the suspension of PERM processing for eight major companies and unveiled a new 'visa fraud strike team.' PERM labor certification is a prerequisite for EB-3 employment-based green card sponsorship, making this enforcement action directly relevant to workers and employers in the EB-3 pipeline. EGIS III's AI tools will connect USCIS internal databases with external systems including the Department of State, ICE's SEVIS, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the FBI's National Name Check Program. This interconnected data environment means that inconsistencies across applications filed years apart — such as mismatched work locations, employment dates, or unreported address changes — could be flagged automatically during adjudication. For EB-3 applicants and sponsoring employers, the practical implication is that all details submitted across every immigration filing must be fully consistent. This includes DS-160 visa applications, I-129 nonimmigrant petitions, and I-140 immigrant petitions. Even seemingly minor discrepancies — like an AR-11 address change filed after an H-1B worksite amendment — could trigger Requests for Evidence, audits, site visits, or notices of intent to deny. Immigration attorneys are advising employers to audit their entire sponsorship history and ensure employees proactively disclose any prior immigration violations or criminal history. Hiring managers involved in sponsoring foreign workers should be briefed on the heightened consistency requirements, as employees are often the first to know about worksite changes or promotions that require timely filings.