Trump administration restricts most green card applications from within U.S.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced Friday that it will sharply limit when immigrants already inside the United States can apply for permanent residency. In a new policy memo, the agency said most noncitizens seeking a green card must instead leave the U.S. and complete the process through consular offices overseen by the U.S. Department of State in their home countries. USCIS spokesperson Zach Kahler said in a statement that the rule applies to noncitizens who are temporarily in the U.S., except for those “in extraordinary circumstances,” noting that the U.S. was “returning to the original intent of the law.” “This policy allows our immigration system to function as the law intended instead of incentivizing loopholes,” Kahler said. “When aliens apply from their home country, it reduces the need to find and remove those who decide to slip into the shadows and remain in the U.S. illegally after being denied residency.” In a second statement to MS NOW on Friday evening, Kahler suggested applicants who provide economic gain will likely still be allowed to apply from within the U.S. “While we work to operationalize this, people who present applications that provide an economic benefit or otherwise are in the national interest will likely be able to continue on their current path while others may be asked to apply abroad depending on individualized circumstances,” he said. The move marks a significant tightening of immigration policy under the Trump administration and could affect thousands of people living in the U.S. on nonimmigrant visas, including…

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