Summary
The Trump administration has implemented a ban on immigrant visas for many countries, potentially leaving tens of thousands of family-based green cards unused. These unused visas might be reallocated to employment-based applicants for the 2027 fiscal year. This change is due to existing U.S. immigration rules that allow unused family visas to be added to employment-based categories.
Key Facts
- President Trump expanded a travel ban, affecting visa processing for 75 countries.
- Family-based green cards left unused may increase the employment-based green card quota.
- U.S. immigration law allows leftover family visas to shift to employment categories.
- The U.S. fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30.
- In 2024, an estimated 67,000 green cards are affected by the travel ban.
- About 17,000 of these might have been used before the ban took full effect.
- The unused visas could potentially add 50,000 to the employment quota in 2027.
- There is an estimation that 2.4 million fewer green cards will be issued by the end of Trump's term due to restrictive policies.
