US Green Card Interviews Turn Into Arrests: Immigrants Detained During Routine Process

A shocking trend has emerged in the United States, where foreign spouses seeking permanent residency are being detained during routine green card interviews. According to reports from the New York Times and CBS 8, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers have begun arresting applicants who have overstayed their visas, even if they originally entered the country legally and have no criminal record.

Immigration attorney Saman Nasseri revealed that five of his clients—each married to an American citizen—were detained last week at the San Diego USCIS office. He explained that ICE and USCIS have recently begun enforcing an internal policy that allows ICE to arrest applicants who are out of status at the time of their interview. Attorney Habib Hasbini confirmed several similar detentions, stating that the first known incident occurred on November 12. Since then, he says he has received multiple calls from distressed family members whose spouses were taken into custody during marriage-based interviews.

The New York Times reported at least two cases where arrests took place inside interview rooms in front of spouses and even a four-month-old baby. One American citizen, Audrey Hestmark, described how her husband, German national Tom Bilger, was taken away by masked ICE officers who showed only a QR code instead of traditional identification. In another case, Katie Paul, a pregnant British citizen considered high-risk, was detained despite being under medical care.

Immigration lawyers estimate that several dozen spouses have been arrested in the San Diego region since November 12, although the exact number remains unknown because many couples attend interviews without legal counsel. According to ICE statements, arrests are based on outstanding warrants, visa overstays, or suspected immigration violations. While the law permits detention of overstayed visa holders, such actions were historically rare during green card processing.

Experts warn that skipping interviews may result in denial for abandonment, but couples should now prepare for the possibility of arrest. Many attorneys describe the intensified enforcement as an unprecedented escalation not officially announced by the Biden administration.