U.S. Trump administration orders green‑card applicants to exit country for processing

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced that all non‑citizens who have filed for lawful permanent residence must leave the United States and complete their applications through consular processing abroad. Adjustment of status will be granted only in "extraordinary circumstances," evaluated case by case. USCIS spokesperson Zach Kahler said, "From now on, an alien who is in the U.S. temporarily and wants a green card must return to their home country to apply, except in extraordinary circumstances."

The policy is presented as a return to the original intent of immigration law, aiming to reduce the need to remove individuals who remain in the U.S. after a denied residency petition. Critics warn that many applicants have U.S. citizen spouses or children, contribute to the labor force, and could face long delays and humanitarian hardships. Litigation is expected, and it remains unclear whether Immigration and Customs Enforcement will begin deportations of pending applicants.