Trump Administration Reverses Directive on Green Card Applicants President Donald Trump’s administration reportedly reversed a controversial directive requiring green card applicants to wait in their home countries while their applications were processed, according to a new report. The policy, outlined in a May 22 memo from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), had sparked significant backlash from the business community, prompting officials to scale back the measure. The memo initially mandated that foreigners seeking permanent residency return to their countries of origin before applying, with exceptions only for those in “extraordinary circumstances.” Immigration lawyer Chris Thomas, who represents employers nationwide, criticized the directive as “clearly flawed,” stating it risked driving businesses to outsource labor to other countries. Thomas, based in Denver, Colorado, noted that company executives and industry groups viewed the policy as the final straw, fearing it would undermine their operations. In response to widespread opposition, USCIS officials privately assured business leaders during a meeting last week that most work visa holders would not be affected. The Post cited an unidentified source familiar with the matter, highlighting the administration’s attempt to mitigate concerns. Some green card applicants were reportedly informed this week that the May 22 order had been “paused” pending further guidance from the Trump administration. A White House official told The Independent that the directive merely restated existing laws and policies, emphasizing it did not apply to those who had already submitted applications.#trump_administration #us_citizenship_and_immigration_services #chris_thomas #us_chamber_of_commerce #national_immigration_forum
DHS Halts Green Card Grants Except in Extraordinary Cases The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Friday that it will stop processing green card applications for most immigrants currently in the United States, except in rare circumstances. This policy requires all qualified immigrants to leave the country to apply for permanent residency, even if they are eligible for a green card and even if returning home would disqualify them from obtaining one. The decision marks a significant shift in U.S. immigration policy, with critics calling it a radical expansion of DHS’s long-standing approach to legal immigration. Under the new policy, individuals who entered the U.S. on temporary visas—such as students, temporary workers, or tourists—must return to their home countries to apply for green cards. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), a component of DHS, has framed this requirement as an “extraordinary form of relief,” a term not found in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The law, which has been in place for decades, explicitly allows for adjustment of status within the U.S., a practice that has been followed by every administration since its enactment. The policy change follows a months-long trend of USCIS drastically reducing green card approvals. Over the past year, approvals have dropped by nearly half, primarily due to delays in processing applications. The new memorandum now outlines a plan for mass denials, effectively ending the ability of most legal immigrants to adjust their status within the U.S. This shift has left 1.2 million green card applicants in limbo, many of whom have been waiting for years for their applications to be processed. The decision has sparked widespread criticism, particularly from legal experts and immigration advocates.#department_of_homeland_security #us_citizenship_and_immigration_services #immigration_and_nationality_act
Immigration News Green Card: Democrats Push TPS Pathway as SIJS Youth Face Detention Pressure Democrats are advancing legislation to create a permanent-residency pathway for long-term Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders, while enforcement actions have led to the detention and deportation of young immigrants granted Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) protections. The conflicting policies highlight the growing tension between expanding legal pathways and strict immigration enforcement. A Democratic lawmaker, Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida, introduced the Respect for Essential Workers Act, which aims to protect TPS holders and allow eligible workers to apply for green cards after a set period following the law’s enactment. TPS is a humanitarian designation for nationals of countries experiencing conflict, natural disasters, or other extraordinary conditions. It permits individuals to live and work in the U.S. temporarily but does not automatically grant citizenship. The proposed bill would open an application process for TPS holders, prevent deportation of those classified as essential workers, and enable qualifying individuals to pursue green cards. The policy debate occurs amid efforts to end TPS for nationals of several countries, including Afghanistan, Cameroon, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, Myanmar, Ethiopia, and Yemen. These terminations affect tens of thousands of migrants, with deadlines ranging from mid-2025 to 2026 for losing TPS protections and work authorization. Legal challenges have delayed or temporarily blocked some terminations. On March 16, the U.S.#us_supreme_court #department_of_homeland_security #representative_sheila_cherfilusmccormick #special_immigrant_juvenile_status #us_citizenship_and_immigration_services
