USCIS has been granted expanded law enforcement powers under a new DHS rule issued on September 4, 2025. With this change, newly designated USCIS special agents will now be authorized to carry firearms, make arrests, execute search and arrest warrants, and fully handle immigration-related investigations.
Previously, many of these cases were referred to other DHS agencies such as ICE. The new rule allows USCIS to manage investigations from start to finish, improving efficiency in addressing immigration crimes and fraud. This shift is intended to reduce case backlogs, strengthen national security, and free up ICE to focus on larger transnational crime operations.
USCIS will recruit and train agents to use these expanded powers, with the rule taking effect 30 days after publication. Officials described this move as a historic step to uphold immigration system integrity, ensure accountability for immigration fraud, and enhance cooperation with other federal law enforcement partners.
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