Marriage-based immigration is changing under Trump: Everything you need to know

Getting married to a U.S. citizen used to be one of the safest ways to build a life in America; however, under the administration of the U.S. President Donald Trump, the government is implementing changes to the system.

Spouses of American citizens, who for decades had special protection under the law, are now facing the same tough immigration checks as everyone else.

According to Ashley DeAzevedo, who runs American Families United – a group that helps American citizens whose spouses or family members are going through the immigration system.

She revealed that her group’s membership has grown sharply as around 1.4 million people are now seeking help inside the U.S., and another 300,000 outside it.

DeAzevedo added that some of the spouses of American citizens have left the country voluntarily instead of risking detention. While many others have reported their partners being detained by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

A member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, Sharvari Dalal-Dheini, explained the situation: “This administration is treating them like all other immigrants.”

The government says that it is simply doing its job of screening people carefully to protect public safety, adding, anyone who entered illegally in the U.S. cannot get immunity by just filing marriage paperwork.

Here are the changes implemented by the government in marriage immigration:

Immigrant visas paused for people from 75 countries

Green-card interviews now involve much more scrutiny

More categories of people can now be targeted for removal

Officers told to weigh whether an applicant went back to their home country to apply; those who stayed in the US instead get longer, more intrusive vetting

Government has asked banks to review accounts of people without permanent legal status

Spouses must now prove their “good moral character” as well

Marriage-based green cards have seen a steady rise over the years as they offered the fastest path to citizenship in the US. In 2024, about 343,000 people got their green card through a spouse.