Triagem Extrema – O Que É e Quais São os Impactos?
Santos Lloyd Law Team • April 10, 2025
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Em 2025, o cenário da imigração continua a se transformar sob o peso das preocupações com a segurança nacional, impulsionado pela Ordem Executiva “Protegendo os Estados Unidos de Terroristas Estrangeiros e Outras Ameaças à Segurança Nacional e à Segurança Pública”. Essa diretriz encarrega agências federais — incluindo o Departamento de Estado dos EUA — de implementar protocolos reforçados de triagem e verificação para todos os estrangeiros que solicitam vistos ou outros benefícios migratórios. O resultado? Um processo de verificação dramaticamente mais rigoroso, acompanhado de crescentes preocupações por parte de imigrantes, advogados e defensores das liberdades civis.
Tradicionalmente, a segurança nos aeroportos concentrava-se na verificação de documentos de viagem e na triagem de itens proibidos, enquanto oficiais consulares avaliavam a legitimidade das petições de visto e a admissibilidade dos solicitantes. A triagem extrema, no entanto, representa uma mudança significativa rumo a um processo investigativo muito mais invasivo e abrangente. Agora, inclui verificações detalhadas de antecedentes, verificação biométrica, análise forense digital e uma ampla investigação da presença online, histórico criminal e registros financeiros dos solicitantes.
Desde o início do segundo mandato do presidente Trump, em janeiro de 2025, a implementação da triagem extrema se expandiu rapidamente. Hoje, as inspeções nas fronteiras vão muito além da checagem rotineira de documentos, abrangendo uma avaliação completa da vida digital do viajante. Essa mudança reflete o foco intensificado da administração na segurança nacional, mas também desencadeou debates urgentes sobre privacidade, devido processo legal e a justiça nas práticas modernas de fiscalização migratória.
Nos pontos de entrada dos EUA — especialmente em aeroportos — os não cidadãos agora estão sujeitos a procedimentos rigorosos e invasivos, incluindo:
- Inspeção de celulares, laptops e outros dispositivos (inclusive conteúdo apagado)
- Revisão da atividade em redes sociais como TikTok, Instagram e X (antigo Twitter)
- Escaneamento biométrico, incluindo impressões digitais e reconhecimento facial
Essas medidas já não estão restritas a viajantes oriundos de países de alto risco. Na prática, a triagem extrema é aplicada de forma ampla, abrangendo todas as nacionalidades e afetando cada vez mais os residentes permanentes legais também.
Para os não cidadãos, esse novo cenário traz um nível elevado de incerteza e vulnerabilidade. Atrasos na emissão ou renovação de vistos em consulados dos EUA estão se tornando comuns. Viajantes devem agora estar cientes dessas mudanças, e aqueles que comparecerem a entrevistas consulares ou solicitarem a renovação de vistos devem estar preparados para fornecer documentação adicional que comprove a manutenção do status, o cumprimento das condições do visto e a veracidade da solicitação. É fundamental organizar os materiais de apoio com antecedência e estar pronto para responder perguntas sobre emprego, educação, histórico de viagens e atividades online.
À medida que o governo dos EUA continua a expandir o uso de ferramentas de avaliação de risco baseadas em dados, os viajantes devem se adaptar a essa nova realidade — na qual a preparação é essencial para lidar com o sistema de imigração sem interrupções.
Este blog não se destina a fornecer aconselhamento jurídico e nada aqui deve ser interpretado como estabelecimento de um relacionamento advogado-cliente. Por favor, agende uma consulta com um advogado de imigração antes de agir com base em qualquer informação lida aqui.
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On January 14, 2026, the Trump administration announced a freeze on immigrant visa issuance for nationals of 75 countries . The administration states that this “visa freeze” is intended to review security protocols, “reduce risks,” and control immigration flows. However, the immediate reality is that this change in policy has temporarily suspended visa processing and restricted travel for applicants from numerous countries across the globe. While the legal landscape surrounding these suspensions is highly fluid and subject to change, it is important to consider how this “visa freeze” might impact your current status or immigration plans. The scope of the restrictions varies drastically depending on your country of origin and specific visa category. Most notably, a nationality-based travel ban restricts visa issuance for 19 countries : Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. Beyond this targeted ban, a broader freeze affects applicants from a designated list of up to 75 countries, leading to indefinite delays for many visa petitions. However, it is important to note that immigrant visa applications first need to be processed through USCIS, which has not paused processing applications from the 75 countries. Thus, it is important to contact an attorney to understand at what point in the process this visa freeze may affect your case. While Brazil is included in the list of 75 countries, at the time of this publication, the freeze does not include non-immigrant visas for Brazil . Non-immigrant visas are granted to foreign nationals seeking to enter the United States on a temporary basis for specific purposes, such as tourism, studying, or temporary work. This means that Brazilian applicants can still safely pursue non-immigrant employment options, such as O visas for individuals with extraordinary ability or P visas for internationally recognized athletes, without being subjected to the current travel bans or suspensions. This alert is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. There are many changes and uncertainties, so please consult with a qualified attorney at Santos Lloyd Law Firm, P.C. to understand how these evolving policies might affect your specific case
Recent data in 2026 shows a sharp increase in Requests for Evidence across employment-based visa categories such as EB-1, EB-2 NIW, O, and H-1B. Requests for Evidence (RFEs) are no longer reserved for borderline cases; even robust petitions for high-level talent are facing unprecedented scrutiny. The expansion of the USCIS Vetting Center means automated tools are cross-referencing every petition, triggering RFEs for even the smallest inconsistencies. For EB-2 NIW petitions, adjudicators are increasingly questioning the "National Importance" of a candidate’s endeavor. Even for those with impressive credentials, USCIS now demands evidence of how their work specifically benefits the U.S. on a prospective basis. For O-1A and O-1B visas, officers are applying narrower interpretations of "distinction" and "extraordinary ability," often mischaracterizing evidence already present in the record. Additionally, a troubling 2026 trend is the correlation between Premium Processing and RFEs . For discretionary categories like EB-1A and EB-2 NIW, Premium Processing has increasingly become a "fast track" to a poorly reasoned RFE. Reports indicate that adjudicators, pressured by 15-business-day timelines, may be relying on AI-assisted vetting tools that trigger automated RFEs with general and boilerplate language, rather than a thorough review and analysis of supporting documents and evidence filed. With USCIS employing more rigorous AI-driven vetting and a narrower interpretation of visa criteria, the margin for error has disappeared . As such, ensure you consult with an experienced immigration attorney before filing a petition. ' If you have any questions, please schedule a consultation with one of our experienced attorneys, and we will be more than happy to assist you.
In recent weeks, the U.S. government has moved to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for multiple countries, sparking a wave of last-minute litigation and creating significant uncertainty for beneficiaries. This shift is having a profound impact on those who rely on TPS for lawful presence and work authorization in the United States. Across the country, federal courts have intervened to pause or block scheduled TPS terminations for several countries, including Burma (Myanmar), Ethiopia, Haiti, South Sudan, and Syria. In response to these court orders, USCIS has updated its webpages to indicate that TPS status and related Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) are extended for these populations. However, USCIS is intentionally not providing specific new end dates for EAD validity while the litigation remains in flux. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has prominently noted that it "vehemently disagrees" with these court orders and is actively working with the Department of Justice on next steps. This legal landscape remains highly unpredictable and varies drastically depending on the country of origin. For example, on February 9, 2026, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals granted a stay allowing the government to proceed with the termination of TPS for Nicaragua, Honduras, and Nepal while the underlying legal challenges continue. Because of this ruling, the automatic extension of work authorization for these individuals has ended, and employers are now required to reverify the work authorization of affected employees, who must present alternative valid documentation to continue their employment. These rapid changes and the lack of clear end dates are causing complications beyond the workplace. Because driver's licenses often track the length of an individual's authorized stay, many DMVs are currently declining to issue or renew driver's licenses for impacted TPS populations. For employers, managing internal communications, avoiding onboarding errors, and navigating Form I-9 compliance has become increasingly complex. It is more important than ever to be well-prepared and proactive in monitoring these rapid changes. At Santos Lloyd Law Firm, P.C., our immigration attorneys are ready to guide you through this evolving process and ensure you are informed, and supported. Please contact us if you have questions or need assistance.
