Top Senate Democrats have formally asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate the Trump administration’s actions that have disrupted the US legal immigration system. Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla led the request, expressing concerns over halts in visa processing and re-reviews of approved green cards and citizenship cases. The lawmakers highlighted that these moves have caused uncertainty for immigrants, employers, and families.
The Democrats noted that the administration’s actions, such as pausing immigration benefits processing and launching re-reviews of approved applicants, could be an attempt to bypass the lawful immigration scheme in the US. They emphasized that these changes are creating widespread uncertainty and are not necessarily aimed at improving the integrity of the immigration system.
Amid what Democrats describe as an unprecedented policy shift, the administration has suspended visa processing, halted most immigrant benefits processing for applicants from numerous countries, and limited refugee and asylum pathways. Additionally, officials have proposed revisiting cases approved under the previous administration, including those of lawful permanent residents and naturalized US citizens.
The senators raised concerns that these re-reviews may be targeting individuals without clear justification, potentially subjecting immigrants and naturalized US citizens to unwarranted scrutiny and selective enforcement. They also highlighted internal government actions, including directives allowing authorities to detain and re-interview certain refugees who have not yet adjusted to permanent residency status.
Lawmakers have requested the GAO to investigate various aspects, such as the number of affected individuals, criteria for case selection, use of artificial intelligence tools, and the overall impact on the immigration system. They also seek clarity on whether the re-reviews have led to different outcomes from the original approvals and what safeguards are in place for individuals facing potential adverse decisions.
