Trump Administration Orders Green Card Applicants to Apply From Abroad, USCIS Says

The Trump administration unveiled a new immigration policy through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that could force many immigrants already living legally in the United States to leave and apply for permanent residency from abroad.

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USCIS spokesman Zach Kahler said the adjustment of status is “a matter of discretion and administrative grace” and that “From now on, an alien who is in the US temporarily and wants a Green Card must return to their home country to apply, except in extraordinary circumstances,”.

Al-Jazeera Net

The Associated Press reported that foreigners in the U.S. who want a green card will need to leave and apply in their home country, except in “extraordinary circumstances,” and that USCIS officers would decide whether applicants meet that threshold.

The policy memo and announcement were described as a surprise change to a longstanding practice that had allowed foreign nationals with legal status to apply for and complete the entire process for permanent residence in the United States for over half a century.

Immigration advocacy group FWD.us condemned the move, with FWD.us President Todd Schulte saying “Today’s announcement is a stark, deeply harmful, upheaval of more than 70 years of legislative, administrative, and judicial precedent,”.

Schulte warned the policy would “create chaos and impose massive costs on immigrants who have lived and worked legally in the United States for many years,” and Rep. Grace Meng, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), said the administration was “blatantly attacking legal immigration, with family separation at the center of its agenda,”.

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Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich said the policy would create fear and uncertainty among immigrant families and skilled workers, describing them as “our neighbors, coworkers, business owners, researchers, health care workers, teachers, and entrepreneurs,”.

The Associated Press reported that immigration lawyers and aid groups pushed back, warning that forcing people to return home to apply could create a “Catch-22,” including cases where the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan has been closed since the U.S. pullout in August 2021.

California Immigration Project attorney Jessie De Haven said, “It’s really hard to tell how this is going to be applied,” and added that she expected “a chilling effect on people applying.”

Beyond the USCIS policy memo, the Visa Bulletin described in VisaHQ said the May 2026 Visa Bulletin shows “zero forward movement in every employment-based category for India,” with EB-2 at 15 July 2014, EB-3 at 15 November 2013, and EB-1 at 1 April 2023.

“New US Green Card rule sparks outrage among immigrants Washington, May 23 : The Trump administration has unveiled a new immigration policy that could force many immigrants already living legally in the United States to leave the country and apply for permanent residency from abroad, triggering sharp criticism from immigrant advocates, Democratic lawmakers and local officials”

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VisaHQ also said the bulletin warned that EB-5 demand from Indian investors in the unreserved sub-category is being closely monitored, and that if filings exceed the annual quota before September 30, EB-5 could retrogress.

Agenzia Nova reported that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is seeking to deport at least 50 green-card holders through a new unit dedicated to reviewing thousands of lawful permanent residents, and that as of May 7, about 2,890 cases had been reviewed or were still under review.

Agenzia Nova further stated that “Eighty percent of them were classified as 'no further action required.'” and that more than 500 green-card holders remain under review, while Zack Kahler said the agency is reorganizing to improve protection and support its mission.

The Al-Jazeera Net framing tied the new guidance to Section 245(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, describing the adjustment of status as a process that should generally take place outside the United States and that USCIS said is not intended to change standard procedures but should be used only in exceptional cases.