Trump admin says new green card enforcement likely won’t apply to those who provide an ‘economic benefit’

• Trump’s new immigration rule forces green card applicants to apply for citizenship from abroad.

• USCIS said there may be exceptions for immigrants who provide economic benefit or national interest.

• The Trump administration’s crackdown on immigrants includes mass visa cancellations and deportations.

The Trump administration is tightening one of the most common paths to a solution. green cardIt warns that most immigrants already in the United States will now have to leave the country and apply from abroad rather than adjusting their status at home.

However, the new rule announced Friday may not apply equally to all immigrants, according to a statement from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesman Zach Kahler.

Framing the policy change as a return to “the intent of Congress,” Kahler said, “As we work to operationalize this, individuals who submit applications that provide economic benefit or are otherwise in the national interest will likely be able to continue on their current path, while others may be required to apply abroad, depending on individual circumstances.” he said.

It remains unclear how the administration will decide which applications provide economic benefit or serve the national interest.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said in Friday’s announcement that it would grant the “adjustment of status” process, which allows some immigrants already in the United States to apply for lawful permanent residence without leaving the country, “only in extraordinary circumstances.”

The agency said officers will instead refer applicants to consular processing abroad through the State Department and consider exceptions on a case-by-case basis.

This shift marks the latest escalation in President Donald Trump’s policy. immigration pressureThis has already included mass deportation efforts, visa revocations, and intense scrutiny of temporary visa holders.

Immigration lawyers and advocacy groups have warned that this change could disrupt families, employers and businesses. foreign workers Those who have long relied on a change of status to remain in the United States while awaiting green cards.

Requiring applicants to leave the country for consular processing abroad could subject them to long delays, family separations, and potential barriers to reentry, especially for immigrants whose visas expire while awaiting permanent residence decisions.

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