The Trump administration is tightening one of the most common pathways to a green card, warning that most immigrants already in the US will now have to leave the country and apply from abroad rather than adjust their status domestically.
However, the new rule, announced Friday, may not be evenly applied to all immigrants, according to a statement to Business Insider from US Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesperson Zach Kahler.
“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,” Kahler said, framing the policy shift as a return to the “intent of Congress.”
It remains unclear how the administration will determine which applications may be considered to provide an economic benefit or serve the national interest.
US Citizenship and Immigration Services, in its Friday announcement, said that it will grant “adjustment of status” — the process that allows some immigrants already in the US to apply for lawful permanent residency without leaving the country — “only in extraordinary circumstances.”
The agency said officers will instead steer applicants toward consular processing through the State Department overseas, evaluating exceptions on a case-by-case basis.
The shift marks the latest escalation in President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, which has already included mass deportation efforts, visa revocations, and heightened scrutiny of temporary visa holders.
Immigration attorneys and advocacy groups warned that the change could disrupt families, employers, and foreign workers who have long relied on adjustment of status to remain in the US while awaiting green cards.
Requiring applicants to leave the country for consular processing abroad could expose them to lengthy delays, family separation, and potential barriers to reentry, particularly for immigrants whose visas have expired while they await permanent residency decisions.
