The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has identified at least 50 green card holders as potential deportation targets through a new unit focused on re-vetting lawful permanent residents, officials confirmed this month [1, 2]. The unit, called the Tactical Operations Division, includes teams for LPR Operations, Denaturalization, and Refugee Revetting, staffed by approximately 40 immigration officers and led by Daniel Andrade [2].
As of early May 2026, DHS had reviewed or was still reviewing about 2,890 green card cases, with more than 500 still under assessment as of May 7 [1]. Officials said 80% of the cases reviewed required no further action [1, 2]. About 2% of reviewed cases were deemed possibly deportable, a figure that has drawn criticism from former officials across party lines as a potentially inefficient use of resources [1].
The Trump administration has defended the re-vetting effort as necessary to address alleged lax screening under the Biden administration [1, 2]. Some green card holders under review were arrested or convicted for crimes such as sexual assault, domestic violence, DUI, and drug possession. Others admitted affiliations with groups allegedly supporting Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps [2].
Experts note that green card holders can be deported if convicted of crimes or found to have fraudulently obtained status, but deportation requires immigration court proceedings and is not immediate [2]. DHS spokesman Zach Kahler said the agency is reshaping its organizational structure to better protect American citizens while supporting mission priorities [1, 2].
The New York Times reported on May 14 that internal DHS data pointed to this targeted deportation effort as part of a broader strategy to re-examine permanent resident cases [1]. The review and potential deportations are ongoing with no set completion date announced.
