Getting a green card through marriage just got a whole lot trickier under the Trump administration’s watchful eye.
Immigration attorneys are sounding the alarm that couples seeking marriage-based green cards face unprecedented scrutiny, especially if they don’t share a home, as part of a wider crackdown on legal immigration that includes detentions, fraud probes, and program suspensions like the Diversity Visa Lottery.
Let’s start with the basics: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) sees living together as the gold standard for proving a marriage is legitimate.
If a couple resides apart, they’re automatically on thinner ice, facing longer processing times or outright rejection without ironclad proof of their bond.
USCIS digs deep into shared finances, joint leases, family photos, and affidavits—anything to show a real life together, not just a convenient arrangement.
Beyond cohabitation, other warning signs like significant age differences, language barriers, or cultural disparities can raise eyebrows at USCIS, especially if a marriage coincides with deportation proceedings.
“Other red flags for USCIS include a large age gap between the spouses, language barriers, major cultural differences, and other issues that suggest the couple does not intend to have a real marriage,” said immigration attorney Kevin J. Stewart to Newsweek.
That’s a fair point, but let’s be real—casting suspicion on every unique couple risks turning personal choices into bureaucratic nightmares, and nobody wants a government snoop deciding what “real” love looks like.
This isn’t just about marriage green cards; the Trump administration has tightened the screws across all legal immigration pathways, with visas revoked and lawful statuses stripped in some cases.
Immigrants showing up for routine green card interviews at federal offices are increasingly detained on the spot, a chilling trend that’s part of an expanded enforcement push.
“I will permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the U.S. system to fully recover,” President Donald Trump declared on Truth Social, signaling a hardline stance that’s got everyone on edge.
Adding fuel to the fire, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem suspended the Diversity Visa Lottery program after a shooting at Brown University tied to a participant, with no timeline for its return.
Meanwhile, USCIS is cracking down on fraud, boasting over 29,000 referrals, thousands of investigations (with fraud found in 65% of cases), and extensive site visits and social media checks to root out deception.
Throw in a review of green card holders from 19 countries after a deadly attack on National Guard members, and it’s clear this administration means business—legal or not, no one’s escaping the magnifying glass.
