27% of Immigrants Avoid Travel Domestic and Abroad, Kaiser Survey Finds

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) — The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) reported that 27% of immigrants, including green card holders, are avoiding travel within and outside the United States, citing fear of encounters with immigration authorities.

The finding comes from the 2025 Survey of Immigrants, conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation in partnership with The New York Times, and published in November and December 2025. The survey said nearly three in ten immigrants altered or canceled travel plans to avoid contact with immigration authorities.

Recent policy moves and timing

Federal immigration agencies have moved in recent weeks to tighten screening, expand biometric checks, and pause or slow some immigration benefits — steps that coincide with the survey’s reported travel pullback.

• A new DHS rule that took effect Dec. 26, 2025 requires all non-citizens, including Lawful Permanent Residents, to be photographed using facial recognition at all ports of entry and exit.
• USCIS Director Joseph Edlow said in December 2025:
  > “USCIS has halted all asylum decisions until we can ensure that every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible. The safety of the American people always comes first.”

The current shift followed a Nov. 26, 2025 shooting of two West Virginia National Guard members in Washington, D.C., by an Afghan national — an event the administration treated as a security catalyst for “zero-tolerance” vetting. The survey’s “27% green card holders” theme reflects a broader chilling effect described in the survey’s findings, extending beyond undocumented migrants to legal residents.

USCIS directives and benefit holds

In USCIS Policy Memorandum PM-602-0192 dated Dec. 2, 2025, the agency ordered:

• An immediate adjudicative hold on all pending asylum applications nationwide.
• Holds on all “benefit requests,” including green cards and naturalization, for nationals of 19 high-risk countries.
• Authorization for a “full-scale, rigorous reexamination” of green cards for individuals from “countries of concern” who entered the U.S. after January 20, 2021.

These measures create a procedural slowdown that can leave applicants waiting and contribute to decisions to avoid travel while cases are pending.

Expansion of entry restrictions

A separate DHS action expanded entry restrictions under Presidential Proclamation 10949:

• The administration added countries on December 16, 2025, with the expansion effective Jan. 1, 2026.
• The added nations listed in the summary included Syria, Mali, and South Sudan.

The proclamation originally designated 19 countries for entry restrictions in June 2025; the December expansion builds on that list.

Biometric entry/exit rule details

Acting Executive Assistant Commissioner Diane J. Sabatino of U.S. Customs and Border Protection said on November 20, 2025:

“This final rule marks a major milestone towards our efforts to successfully implement the Biometric Entry/Exit mandate and strengthen the security of the United States.”

Under the biometric rule that became effective Dec. 26, 2025:

• DHS removed previous exemptions for children under 14 and seniors over 79.
• The requirement applies to all non-citizens, including green card holders, at all ports of entry and exit.
• The change intersects with routine travel patterns for families and workers, adding an additional step at both entry and exit.

CBP has posted related implementation information at CBP biometrics.

Interior enforcement posture and agency messaging

The survey landed amid a wider push inside DHS and USCIS described as a change in posture:

• Internal policies were updated to confirm USCIS’s role as an “immigration enforcement agency.”
• Officers were empowered to issue Notices to Appear and prioritize arrests at field offices.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, in a December 19, 2025 press release described as “DHS Has Historic Year,” framed the enforcement shift as a public-safety measure:

“In less than a year, President Trump has delivered some of the most historic and consequential achievements in presidential history. Under President Trump’s leadership, we are making America safe again and putting the American people first.”

DHS maintains a press release archive at DHS press releases.

Practical effects on travel and daily life

For immigrants weighing travel, the policy mix creates overlapping points of contact with federal authorities:

• Benefit adjudications (USCIS holds and reexaminations).
• Airport screening (biometrics and secondary inspections).
• Land crossings and interior checkpoints (bus stations, highway stops).

The summary said fear of secondary inspection at airports or interior checkpoints has pushed many to avoid domestic flights and long-distance trips. The survey’s focus on 27% is notable because it applies broadly to immigrants and includes people with lawful status, not just undocumented migrants.

Key behavioral impacts the summary highlights:

• Avoiding international travel and routine domestic movement.
• Postponing family visits, work trips, or emergencies requiring quick travel.
• Increased anxiety around secondary inspections at airports, Greyhound stations, or highway stops.

Employment Authorization Document (EAD) changes

USCIS tightened timelines for work authorization in USCIS Policy Alert PA-2025-27, issued December 2025:

• The maximum validity of Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) was shortened from 5 years to 18 months.
• The summary said this could increase filing frequency and the risk of employment gaps.

This shift affects families who rely on steady work authorization while a green card case or other benefit request is pending, and it adds another reason some immigrants might limit travel while cases move through the system.

How the survey frames the chilling effect

The Survey of Immigrants statistic is especially striking because:

• It captures behavior across immigrants broadly, including lawful permanent residents.
• It frames travel changes as a response to potential encounters with immigration authorities — not necessarily to changes in legal rights to travel.
• It shows how quickly behavior can shift when enforcement and adjudications tighten concurrently.

The enforcement emphasis also creates friction points for interior travel, since airports, bus stations, and highway stops may involve federal checks.

Summary of key dates and actions

Sources and further reading

• KFF and The New York Times: 2025 Survey of Immigrants (November–December 2025).
• DHS press releases: DHS press releases
• USCIS newsroom
• CBP biometric information: CBP biometrics
• Federal Register notice related to Proclamation 10949: Federal Register

The KFF finding — 27% — has become a shorthand for how enforcement actions can ripple through immigrant communities, including lawful residents, capturing a turn toward staying put even among green card holders.