Continuing its crackdown on immigrants in the US, President Donald Trump’s administration on Friday (local time) announced a new policy for foreigners applying for in the country.
According to a Bloomberg report, those seeking permanent residency in Washington will be required to return to their home countries to seek .
Trump administration ramps up crackdown on immigrants
In a statement, Zach Kahler, a spokesman for US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), said, “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.” Kahler added, “This policy allows our immigration system to function as the law intended instead of incentivizing loopholes.”
CBS News, citing officials, said they plan to end the option for many seeking a green card to complete the process without leaving the country. Under the new approach, most of these immigrants would instead have to return to their home countries and apply for an immigrant visa abroad at a US consulate.
What does the document say?
The memo, which was issued by USCIS on Friday, aims to strictly limit when the agency can allow immigrants to receive a green card via the “adjustment of status” process. According to reports, this route allows eligible immigrants already in the US to apply for permanent residency without having to leave the country and apply at a US consulate abroad.
In a memo outlining the change, USCIS employees who decide applications for permanent residency were told that some exceptions could be made. The memo directed them to “consider and weigh all the relevant evidence in the record, taking into account the totality of the circumstances to determine whether the alien is suitable for permanent residence.”
Additionally, it also directs federal agency officers to view adjustment of status as an “extraordinary” form of relief and an act of “administrative grace,” citing federal law to argue that most green card applicants should complete the process overseas. Further, officers have now been told to see adjustment of status as a rare and special benefit, not a normal option. Officers are now instructed to view choosing adjustment of status over applying at a US consulate abroad as a negative factor in a person’s case.
While the policy does not clearly state all the exceptions, the memo says that some groups, such as those on “dual intent” visas like H-1Bs for high-skilled workers, as well as refugees and asylees, will likely be allowed to apply for a green card in the country via adjustment of status.
Trump’s policy change could impact thousands
According to immigration law experts, the announcement of a new policy could impact hundreds of thousands of people a year and potentially reduce legal immigration further amid a sweeping government crackdown.
The administration has introduced a series of restrictions affecting everyone from asylum seekers to students and highly skilled workers.
The new rules broadly affect foreigners who entered the US on temporary non-immigrant visas, such as students, or L visa workers, and visitors. Washington grants about one million green cards annually, but nearly half are for foreign relatives sponsored by US citizens, and those cases are typically already handled outside the country.
Trump administration’s stance on immigrants
The developments come at a time when citizens of at least 39 countries, mostly in Africa and Asia, are barred or restricted from entering Washington under a proclamation signed by the on national security grounds, commonly known as the “travel ban.”
In a separate policy, the administration has also suspended all immigrant visas for people from 75 countries who wish to move to the US permanently, with officials arguing they could become financial burdens. In most cases, individuals who have overstayed their visas and lived in the country without authorization for years would face a 10-year ban on reentry if they depart the country.
- New immigration policy mandates green card applicants to leave the U.S. and apply from their home countries.
- The change is expected to affect hundreds of thousands of immigrants annually, potentially decreasing legal immigration.
- Adjustment of status is now considered an ‘extraordinary’ process, making it a rare option for most applicants.
