USCIS Vetting Hold Alert: New Security Checks Freeze Green Card Cases April 2026

The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) issued an urgent alert after immigration attorneys across the country reported that USCIS field and asylum offices had begun placing pending adjudications on hold. The pause is linked to a new security vetting protocol that took effect on April 27, 2026, affecting cases at multiple stages of processing. At the center of the change is a fingerprint resubmission requirement. Fingerprints previously collected and cleared through FBI background checks are now considered insufficient under the new vetting standards. USCIS is requiring that nearly all pending applicants undergo a fresh round of biometric collection before their cases can move forward. For EB-3 applicants, this hold has direct implications. Any pending I-485 adjustment of status applications, as well as cases awaiting interview scheduling, may be subject to delays as the agency works through the new vetting pipeline. The scope of the hold—spanning both field offices and asylum offices—suggests a broad operational pause rather than a targeted review of specific case categories. AILA's alert is based on reports from its member attorneys, but official USCIS guidance on timelines and the specific nature of the new vetting criteria has not yet been publicly released. Applicants are advised to contact their attorneys or check their USCIS online accounts for case status updates. This development follows a broader pattern of increased security scrutiny in immigration adjudications in 2026. EB-3 applicants with cases currently pending should expect potential delays and be prepared to receive new biometric appointment notices in the coming weeks.