WASHINGTON — The Trump administration announced new rules Friday to scrutinize petitions to bring in underage spouses to the U.S., after data showed thousands of requests by men to bring in child and adolescent brides had been approved. Citizenship and Immigration Services said it was updating guidance to adjudicators that stresses marriages involving minors warrant special attention. The approval of the petitions is the first of a two-step visa process, and USCIS had already said it has taken steps to better flag and vet the petitions. Marriage between adults and minors is not uncommon in the U.S., and most states allow children to marry with some restrictions. There are no nationwide statistics on child marriage, but data from a few states suggest it is far from rare.

Source: National Post February 15, 2019 14:37 UTC