The Trump administration announced a sweeping policy change requiring most immigrants in the U.S. seeking green cards to leave the country and apply from their home countries.
- The policy eliminates the adjustment of status option for most applicants, forcing them to use consular processing abroad. - It affects students, tourists, temporary visa holders, and those who overstayed visas, potentially triggering 10-year reentry bans.
- Exemptions exist for H-1B visa holders, refugees, and asylees, but many U.S. citizen spouses may be impacted.
The move is part of the administration's broader effort to limit legal immigration and has been criticized as unprecedented and disruptive.