Why You Shouldn’t Trust AI With Your U.S. Immigration Future

BusinessPolicyWhy You Shouldn’t Trust AI With Your U.S. Immigration FutureByAndy J. Semotiuk,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about investor immigration and international law issues.Follow AuthorMay 07, 2026, 10:23am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.Immigrants are using AI to help them prepare applications to immigrate to the United States. Is that a good idea? Not really. Here's why.gettyIt is past midnight. A man sits at his kitchen table, asking ChatGPT whether he can come to the United States to support his daughter, a U.S. permanent resident facing a difficult pregnancy. He once overstayed his U.S. visitor’s visa more than a decade ago. The AI tells him confidently that he is inadmissible and cannot apply for a waiver because he is not the parent or child of a U.S. citizen.Weeks later, he walks into my office. It turns out the AI was wrong. He qualified for a waiver of inadmissibility through the sponsorship of his daughter, a lawful permanent resident. A simple misapplication of legal rules nearly kept him from his family.This is not an isolated case.As artificial intelligence becomes more accessible, more people are relying on tools like ChatGPT to navigate immigration law — to answer legal questions, complete applications, and even plan strategy. The appeal is obvious: fast, inexpensive, and always available. Especially when there are processing backlogs of filed cases. But persuasive language is not the same as sound legal judgment.The legal profession has already learned this lesson well. In Mata v. Avianca (2023), lawyers relied on AI-generated research that cited entirely fictitious cases. The result: court sanctions and widespread scrutiny of AI use in law.Canada has seen similar warnings. In Zhang v. Chen, a British Columbia court cautioned against relying on AI-generated legal authorities after fabricat...