New immigration enforcement protocols and visa travel restrictions aimed at modernizing border management and strengthening national security took effect Friday.
The new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rules now in force expand biometric screening at U.S. entry and exit points, and impose tougher reviews of green cards issued to citizens from 19 countries flagged for elevated security concerns, Newsweek reported.
Supporters argue the changes represent a long-overdue modernization of border controls, leveraging technology to prevent fraud, deter overstays, and close gaps exploited by criminal networks and potential terrorists.
At the center of the policy is a nationwide biometric entry-exit system.
Under the updated procedures, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will photograph all non-U.S. citizens, including lawful permanent residents, every time they enter or leave the country.
Previous exemptions for children under 14 and adults over 79 have been eliminated.
CBP may also collect fingerprints and iris scans when warranted and match them against existing travel documents through the Traveler Verification Service.
CBP has argued that an integrated biometric system strengthens security by reducing document fraud and identifying those who overstay visas or attempt to enter under false identities.
In the Federal Register, CBP said the system helps address threats including terrorism, fraudulent travel documentation, visa overstays, and incomplete traveler data.
The second major change involves intensive green-card reviews for nationals of 19 countries: Afghanistan, Burma (Myanmar), Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
DHS says the heightened scrutiny reflects concerns about prior vetting standards and the integrity of earlier approvals.
For lawful permanent residents from those nations, that could mean additional questioning at ports of entry, document checks, and processing delays.
Conservatives note that the new enforcement posture aligns with President Donald Trump's broader push to restore credible deterrence at the border and ensure immigration rules prioritize American safety and sovereignty.
The step also comes as the legal immigration system continues to face heavy demand and bottlenecks, underscored by the State Department's January 2026 Visa Bulletin.
The bulletin shows continuing oversubscription in multiple family-sponsored and employment-based categories, especially for applicants from China, India, Mexico, and the Philippines.
The bulletin details how visa availability is tightly controlled by annual limits and per-country caps, meaning even lawful immigration often involves years-long waits — an argument frequently made by border hawks who say enforcement is necessary to protect the integrity of a strained system.
DHS officials say the biometric rollout will expand over the next three to five years, beginning with major airports and spreading to land and sea ports.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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