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By Billal Rahman
Immigration Reporter
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Federal immigration authorities are issuing Requests for Evidence (RFEs) for H-1B and employment-based immigrant petitions asking for home addresses and biometrics.
Newsweek has contacted U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for comment via email.
Why It Matters
Industries like technology, finance, and academia are among the biggest users of the H-1B visa program. In 2024, major companies, including Amazon, Google, and Meta, secured thousands of these visas. Tesla, led by Elon Musk, reportedly brought hundreds of workers to the U.S. through the program.
Read More on Politics
The H-1B program has an annual federal cap of 65,000 new visas. However, an additional 20,000 petitions are exempt from this limit for individuals who hold a U.S. master's degree or higher, according to USCIS.
President Donald Trump has backed work-based visas, especially the H-1B visa, in the past. However, the administration has revoked hundreds of mostly student visas.
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What To Know
The development is raising concerns among attorneys, as USCIS has not previously made such requests.
These RFEs appear to be tied to the agency's claim of possessing "adverse information" about certain individuals. It remains unclear whether this signals an effort by the Trump administration to target employment-based visa applicants as part of broader deportation plans or if the requests are intended for a different purpose.
"We have encountered potentially adverse information related to the beneficiary. To continue processing your application or petition, we required an updated address for the beneficiary so that we may collect biometric data," a USCIS adjudicator wrote in a Request for Evidence, according to Forbes.
It then requests the submission of "the beneficiary's current and updated residential address."
USCIS has not released any notice about a process change.
An RFE is a formal notice issued by USCIS when additional documentation or clarification is needed to evaluate a petition. It is not a denial, but rather a standard part of the adjudication process that allows petitioners to address gaps or inconsistencies in their applications.
According to USCIS guidelines, an RFE should clearly outline which eligibility criteria have not been met, explain why existing materials are insufficient, and suggest what additional evidence could help meet the requirements.
These requests are often triggered by missing documentation, inconsistencies in project details, or a lack of supporting evidence such as financial projections or feasibility data.
While an RFE gives petitioners an opportunity to strengthen their case, it can also signal areas of concern that require a careful and thorough response.
The USCIS RFEs come amid an aggressive crackdown by the White House, which has increased its focus on deporting international students over minor infractions, participation in protests, and even writing opinion pieces. This trend is raising red flags for employers and universities worried about the United States' ability to attract and retain global talent.
As of April 18, more than 240 colleges and universities have reported that upward of 1,550 international students and recent graduates have had their legal status altered by the State Department, per data from Inside Higher Education.
What People Are Saying
Vic Goel of immigration law firm Goel & Anderson told Forbes: "This is highly unusual because biometrics are not typically required for these case types."
"The RFEs also fail to explain the nature of the adverse information, leaving employers and attorneys in the dark. It appears that DHS [Department of Homeland Security] may be using AI tools to flag individuals based on undisclosed data, possibly from social media or other government databases."
Market research nonprofit nfpResearch said in a post on X, formerly Twitter: "Immigration officials are issuing Requests for Evidence for H-1B and employment-based petitions asking for home addresses and biometrics, possibly adding to Trump admin plans to identify and deport people here lawfully."
What Happens Next
Immigration attorneys and advocates are closely monitoring the situation, urging affected employers and visa beneficiaries to respond promptly and thoroughly to any RFEs received.
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