In this episode of the Immigration Insights Podcast, co-chairs of Greenberg Traurig’s Global Immigration & Compliance Practice Kate Kalmykov and Courtney Brooks discuss how artificial intelligence is transforming USCIS adjudications and what employers and applicants need to know to stay ahead of an increasingly demanding compliance environment.
The hosts explain that Requests for Evidence (RFEs) have surged across all visa categories and are now broader, more detailed, and informed by data pulled from external sources including government databases, business registries, and social media. AI is enabling officers to cross-reference filings with a speed and thoroughness that was not previously possible, making consistency across filings, organizations, and time a critical concern.
Kate and Courtney walk through the key visa categories most affected including H-1B, L-1, O-1 and EB-1A petitions. National Interest Waiver denials and RFEs have risen sharply, with officers pressing for measurable, demonstrable impact.
On the I-9 compliance front, enforcement has intensified, penalties have increased, and AI is being used to map related corporate entities and extend audits across them. Unprecedented cross-agency coordination among USCIS, ICE, DOL, IRS, SSA, and CBP means that tax, payroll, and other records are now readily accessible to adjudicators across contexts.
The hosts close with practical takeaways: to centralize and standardize immigration filings, conduct proactive internal audits, use AI tools to anticipate what the government may find, prepare thorough documentation upfront, and communicate transparently with employees about the current climate. Both agree that AI-driven adjudication is here to stay and that organization, consistency, and preparation are the keys to navigating it successfully.