US government reverses controversial green‑card filing rule after backlash

The United States government withdrew a May 22 directive that would have required most green‑card applicants to submit their petitions from their home countries. The Department of Homeland Security clarified that the rule will now be applied on a case‑by‑case basis, leaving discretion to immigration officers.

The reversal follows intense criticism from migrant‑rights groups, legal advocates and Democratic lawmakers, who said the policy would force thousands of lawful residents and spouses of U.S. citizens to leave their jobs and families to file abroad. Earlier, USCIS had announced that temporary‑visa holders such as students, seasonal workers and tourists could not use their U.S. stay as a first step toward permanent residency.

The United States issues more than one million green cards annually, with over half of the applicants already residing in the country when they begin the process.