US green card applicants will now have to return to home countries to apply, DHS says
Summary
The US government announced that people applying for green cards must now leave the country and apply from their home countries. This new rule changes a process that had been the same for over 60 years and may require many immigrants to leave their jobs and families while waiting for approval.Key Facts
- US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the new policy in a memo on Friday.
- Green card applicants currently living in the US will generally have to return to their home countries to complete their applications.
- This policy ends the "adjustment of status" process that allowed applicants to apply for green cards from inside the US.
- More than 1 million legal immigrants are currently waiting for green cards, according to immigration analysts.
- The policy may cause hardship, such as forcing applicants to leave jobs, homes, and families for an unknown time.
- Aid groups warn that this change could force vulnerable people, like trafficking survivors and abused children, to return to dangerous situations.
- The policy is part of several immigration restrictions introduced during President Trump’s administration.
- It is not clear how this new rule will affect green card applications that are already pending.
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