In a major escalation of the oversight battle between Capitol Hill and the White House, all Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee have called for an independent investigation into a “broad attack on the legal immigration system” under the Trump administration.
They say the government has offered little clarity on these sweeping changes, leaving immigrants, families, employers, and communities unsure about how to comply with immigration laws, maintain their status, or avoid unpredictable enforcement.
The effort is led by Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois, along with Senators Chris Coons of Delaware and Alex Padilla of California.
The lawmakers sent two letters to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on Wednesday, asking it to examine two major parts of the administration’s 2026 immigration policy. This includes the indefinite halt of visa processing for many countries and the “re-review” of people who have already been granted legal status.
Visa processing frozen for dozens of countries
According to the senators, since January 2026, the administration has taken steps that have dramatically slowed or stopped legal immigration for large numbers of people. According to the allegations, the Trump administration has halted immigrant benefit processing for applicants from 39 countries. They also said visa processing has been stopped for immigrant visa applicants from 75 countries. In addition, most refugee and asylum processing has been suspended.
The senators argued these are not normal delays, but a deliberate attempt to work around immigration law. “We are deeply concerned that these changes, which have left immigrants, their families, and employers at a loss for how to obtain or maintain lawful status or presence, are an attempt to circumvent the statutory scheme for lawful immigration to the United States, rather than a legitimate exercise in improving the integrity of our immigration system,” the senators wrote in a letter.
Fresh reviews of approved immigrants and citizens
The lawmakers said the freeze has created confusion for families and businesses across the country. They said many people have been left with little or no guidance on when regular immigration work will restart, including green card interviews and naturalisation ceremonies.
Democrats alleged that immigrants and their families do not know how to maintain lawful status while waiting. The senators also raised alarm over the administration’s plan to carry out a “re-review” of people from the same 39 countries who received immigration benefits during the Biden administration. This would include green card holders and even naturalised US citizens.
The Department of Homeland Security has described the reviews as a necessary step because of its “inadequate screening” and “security gaps.”
But Democratic lawmakers said the program has no clear legal basis and appears to single out certain groups unfairly. “We are concerned that these re-reviews are a pretext for targeting immigrants and naturalised US citizens for unwarranted scrutiny and selective enforcement,” the senators wrote.
What the senators want investigated
The lawmakers said the Department of Homeland Security has failed to give Congress proper information about the policy changes. They want the GAO to look into the legal reasons for pausing cases involving certain nationalities, how people were chosen for re-review, and the effect these moves have had on the growing backlog at US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Besides Durbin, Coons, and Padilla, the letters were also signed by Senators Sheldon Whitehouse, Amy Klobuchar, Richard Blumenthal, Mazie Hirono, Cory Booker, Peter Welch, and Adam Schiff.
The GAO, often called Congress’s watchdog agency, will now decide whether to open a formal investigation. If it does, the inquiry could force the administration to release internal records, memos, and data that have so far not been shared publicly or with Congress.