A worrying green card applicant detention trend has emerged in Southern California. Multiple immigration attorneys now report that ICE detains some green card applicants during their interviews at the San Diego USCIS field office, even when they entered legally and have no criminal record.
If your interview is in San Diego and you ever overstayed a visa, read this carefully.
What Attorneys Are Seeing Right Now
Green card applicant detention suddenly spiked at immigration offices in San Diego. One attorney lost five clients in one week. All were spouses of U.S. citizens with clean records who simply overstayed a tourist visa. They walked into a routine marriage-based interview, and ICE took them into custody.
These applicants qualify to adjust status inside the U.S. Under normal rules, they should walk out with a stamp. Instead, ICE now waits in the building.
Why This Matters to You
First, the risk stays local to San Diego — for now. However, patterns often spread. Also, even one green card applicant detention changes everything for a family.
If any of these apply to you, act today:
- Your interview is at the San Diego field office.
- You ever overstayed a visa or fell out of status.
- You entered legally but later had gaps in status.
Green Card Applicant Detention: Your 5-Step Protection Plan
1. Contact an experienced immigration attorney this week. Never go alone if you have an overstay.
2. Ask your lawyer to attend the interview with you. Many now insist on it for San Diego cases.
3. Prepare a family emergency plan (childcare, finances, power of attorney).
4. Bring every possible proof of your eligibility and strong ties to the U.S.
5. Explore safer alternatives that avoid USCIS interviews completely.
Avoid Green Card Applicant Detention, Switch to a Lower-Risk Path
Good news: talent-based visas like O-1 (extraordinary ability), EB-1, and EB-2 NIW do not require a USCIS adjustment interview in most cases. You file from outside or change status with far less risk of green card applicant detention. Many founders, researchers, and top professionals we have helped, choose these paths exactly for this reason, they’re faster and safer.
What Should You Do Today?
Don’t wait for your interview date. Take 60 seconds right now and use our free U.S. Talent Visa Eligibility Checker. It instantly shows if O-1, EB-1, or EB-2 NIW fits you better — and keeps you away from unnecessary risks.
Start your free check here and protect your future today.
About AgoraVisa
AgoraVisa is a global mobility platform dedicated to assisting exceptional talents—including tech founders, startup teams, researchers, and high-achieving professionals—in securing U.S. and international talent-based visas. Our expertise spans O-1, EB-1, EB-2 NIW, EB-3, and other merit-based pathways, offering comprehensive guidance from eligibility assessment to application preparation.
We blend expert immigration insight with user-friendly tools like our U.S. Talent Visa Eligibility Checker, empowering skilled individuals to explore options and confidently step toward working, building, and thriving globally.
