New US Green Card Policy Triggers Concern and Outrage Among Immigrants

WASHINGTON: The Trump administration has unveiled a new immigration policy that could force many legal immigrants to leave the United States and apply for permanent residency from abroad.

The policy memo issued by USCIS reiterates that adjustment of status — the process through which eligible immigrants apply for Green Cards while remaining inside the United States — is “a matter of discretion and administrative grace,” not a right.

“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,” USCIS spokesman Zach Kahler said.

The policy could significantly affect temporary visa holders, including students, researchers, tourists, and H-1B workers, many of whom traditionally adjust their status inside the United States.

Immigration advocacy group FWD.us condemned the move, calling it a “stark, deeply harmful upheaval of more than 70 years of legislative, administrative, and judicial precedent” that would “create chaos and impose massive costs on immigrants who have lived and worked legally in the United States for many years.”

Rep. Grace Meng warned that immigrants from over 100 countries affected by Trump-era travel and visa restrictions could face family separations lasting “years, if not indefinitely.” Critics argue the policy attacks legal immigration at its core, threatening the skilled workers and families who contribute to American innovation and economic growth. (IANS)

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