Green Card Update: Applicants Face New Questions After Major DHS Change
Source: Newsweek
Published May 27, 2026 at 07:30 PM EDT updated May 27, 2026 at 07:31 PM EDT
Immigrants applying for green cards are already seeing the impact of the Trump administration's new policy announced Friday, attorneys say.
The abrupt policy shift outlined how U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) views the process known as "Adjustment of Status," or AOS, as one to only be used in exceptional circumstances, and that a large proportion of applicants who are not seeking a green card based on family ties should return to their home countries for processing, rather than remaining in the U.S.
USCIS' announcement sparked confusion and concern among immigrants and their attorneys, with details on who exactly would be affected left unclear. "It seems to me that USCIS rolled out this policy without preparing its officers or providing them with much, if any, training or guidance," Elissa Taub, immigration attorney and partner at Siskind Susser in Tennessee, told Newsweek. "I can imagine that many officers are just as confused or frustrated by this policy as we are."
Some Applicants See Changes, Others Don't
After USCIS announced the new policy Friday, immigrants applying for green cards faced confusion over whether the new application process, which could force them to return home while waiting for their case to be decided on, applied to them. USCIS was forced to clarify that H-1B holders would not be required to leave the country when applying for permanent residency, saying those who provided an economic benefit to the U.S. would likely be able to continue on the existing path.
Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/green-card-applicants-new-questions-major-dhs-change-11999744