Web Desk: The Trump administration has announced a major change to the U.S. green card process. The new policy could force hundreds of thousands of immigrants to leave the country while officials review their residency applications.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said most applicants must now apply from their home countries through consular processing. The agency will allow exceptions only in “extraordinary circumstances.”
Previously, many immigrants living legally in the United States could apply for permanent residency without leaving the country. They used a process known as “adjustment of status.”
USCIS spokesman Zach Kahler defended the decision on Friday.
“This policy allows our immigration system to function as the law intended instead of incentivizing loopholes,” Kahler said in a statement.
He said the policy would reduce cases of immigrants staying in the country illegally after officials deny residency applications.
Immigration lawyers warned that the decision could disrupt the lives of students, foreign workers and spouses of U.S. citizens. Many applicants may now face long separations from their families.
Green card processing often takes months or years. Lawyers said families could remain apart during that period.
“Our consular processing system is already overburdened,” said Sarah Pierce, a former USCIS policy analyst who now works at the think tank Third Way. “That means families could be separated for months or years.”
The policy also created confusion among immigration attorneys. Many said worried clients flooded their offices with calls and emails after the announcement.
Robert O’Malley, an immigration lawyer in Michigan, said several clients feared separation from their spouses.
“I’ve done my best to assuage those fears,” O’Malley said. “But we are still trying to understand how this policy will work.”
The administration did not explain which applicants could qualify for exemptions. USCIS suggested refugees may avoid the new requirement. Officials also hinted that workers who benefit the U.S. economy could receive exceptions.
Still, lawyers said uncertainty remains for skilled foreign workers, including people on H-1B visas.
The policy marks a major escalation in President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. The administration has recently increased scrutiny of legal immigrants, green card holders and some naturalized citizens.
Department of Homeland Security data showed the United States granted about 1.4 million green cards in 2024. Officials approved more than 820,000 applications through adjustment of status.
Marriage-based applications made up a large share of those approvals. More than 70% of immigrants who received marriage-based green cards in 2024 applied from inside the United States.
Immigration advocates warned that the new system could overwhelm U.S. consulates around the world. They also expect longer delays and fresh legal challenges.
For now, thousands of immigrants remain uncertain about their future. Many still do not know whether they can stay with their families while pursuing permanent residency in the United States.
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