DistantNews
Support us
Trump Administration Reverses Green Card Rule, Citing 'Case-by-Case' Application
🇲🇽 Mexico /Crime & Justice

Trump Administration Reverses Green Card Rule, Citing 'Case-by-Case' Application

From El Universal · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • The Trump administration has reversed a policy requiring most green card applicants to leave the U.S. to complete their applications.
  • The Department of Homeland Security now states the policy will be applied "case by case," a move that reportedly reiterates existing law.
  • This reversal follows criticism from immigrant rights groups and Democratic lawmakers who had called the original policy "absurd and cruel."

The Trump administration has reversed a recently announced policy that would have required most applicants for permanent U.S. residency, or "green cards," to return to their home countries to finalize their applications. The Department of Homeland Security informed The New York Times that the policy, initially set to take effect May 22, will instead be applied on a "case by case" basis.

Simply served as a reminder to officers to use their discretion.

— Department of Homeland SecurityExplaining the purpose of the initial policy.

Officials stated the policy change was intended as a reminder to immigration officers to use their discretion. In a statement to AFP, the department asserted that the new measure "reiterates long-standing policy and law." They added that it would not significantly impact highly skilled applicants and talented professionals who have followed the law. The department also reiterated President Trump's priority for immigration that strengthens the U.S. culturally, socially, and financially, while preventing mass immigration that harms the country.

This policy will not have a significant impact on highly skilled applicants and talented professionals who have complied with the law.

— Department of Homeland SecurityAssessing the effect of the reversed policy.

This abrupt shift follows an announcement from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that temporary visa holders, such as students and temporary workers, should not use their U.S. visits as a first step toward obtaining a green card. The original policy had drawn sharp criticism from immigrant rights organizations and Democratic lawmakers, with Representative Chuy García calling it "absurd and cruel."

The president continues to prioritize immigration that strengthens the United States culturally, socially, and financially, while preventing mass immigration from the third world that harms our country and Americans.

— Department of Homeland SecurityStating the administration's immigration goals.

According to The Washington Post, the U.S. grants over one million permanent residency permits annually. Previously, more than half of these applicants were already within the United States. This policy change is part of a broader immigration crackdown initiated by the Trump administration.

From now on, a foreigner who is temporarily in the United States and wants a green card must return to their country of origin to apply for it, except in extraordinary circumstances.

— USCIS spokesperson Zach KahlerExplaining the original policy's intent.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Universal in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog