By: Patricia Gannon, Esq. and Marcela Bermudez, Esq.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming, and in 2026, it will be prominent in immigration. Federal and local law enforcement agencies worldwide use all types of A1 systems, tools, and technologies to support an increasingly broad range of activities, including image, speech analysis, risk, and text assessment. AI is on its way to becoming one of the fundamental operating tools of policing. For employers and those foreign nationals seeking immigration benefits, whether in the U.S. or at the border, all documentation and prior filings must be consistent. A1 systems can be programmed to detect changes in profile, job duties, and even salary. Alignment of documents is crucial. Work visas, I-9 audits, and compliance documents for human resources should be consistent and readily organized for an audit. Since it’s A1 and the technology is new and changing, errors could occur.
The Department of Homeland Security and its separate agencies will continue to use and coordinate A1 systems to enforce laws, investigate and access other benefits. AI-driven systems such as StateChat, ImmigrationOS, and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ (USCIS) Evidence Classifier are redefining and establishing how immigration is adjudicated.
- Evidence Classifier: One of the case management systems used to track and adjudicate certain immigration request forms is the Electronic Information System (ELIS). USCIS ELIS is an internal case management system composed of microservices to assist with performing complex adjudicative and processing tasks. This system reduces the amount of adjudicative time spent on these repetitive tasks. A machine learning (ML) solution was built to systematically tag individual pages with some of the highest-volume, highest-impact evidence types. This eliminates paging through voluminous pages by the adjudicator and tagging the highest impact pages.
- StateChat: The State Department chatbot, StateChat, was launched in late 2024. It is comprised of AI-driven insights and collaborative platforms. StateChat enhances decision-making, streamlines operations, and fosters seamless information sharing. The program empowers the State Department to respond rapidly to global developments, issue and draft communications, and accelerate decision-making, while strengthening internal coordination.
- ImmigrationOS: An advanced AI system designed to assist immigration enforcement officers in organizing and streamlining their operations. According to federal officials, the system combines information from various data sources—including Social Security, the IRS, DMV records, passport activity, and license plate readers—to help determine where to conduct enforcement actions and how to route individuals through the immigration process. It looks for consistency and aggregates information from multiple government agencies.
As artificial intelligence continues to reshape immigration processes, staying informed and proactive is essential. Employers, HR teams, and foreign nationals must ensure documentation is accurate, consistent, and audit-ready to avoid compliance risks in this evolving tech landscape. Subscribe to our blog today for timely insights, updates, and practical tips.
