Trump administration will force foreigners to leave the US to apply for a green card

Foreigners seeking to adjust their immigration status in the United States to obtain green cards will have to do so from outside the country, through the State Department, the US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) said this Friday (22). The measure is criticized by groups supporting immigrants and refugees.

USCIS announced the change in a policy memorandum, directing agents to consider relevant factors and information on a case-by-case basis when determining whether extraordinary relief is warranted.

"An alien who is temporarily in the United States and wants a Green Card must return to his or her home country to apply," said the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees USCIS.

"This policy allows our immigration system to function as the law intended, rather than encouraging loopholes."

USCIS said the new policy will free up agency resources to focus on processing other cases.

HIAS, an aid group that provides services to refugees and other immigrant groups, said USCIS is forcing survivors of human trafficking, as well as abused and neglected children, to return to the dangerous countries they fled to process their applications for a green card that grants permanent U.S. residency.

The policy change announced this Friday is the latest in a series of measures adopted by US President Donald Trump over the past year to toughen immigration to the United States.

Last year, the Trump administration decided to reduce the duration of visas for students, cultural exchange participants and media professionals.

In January, the State Department announced that it had revoked more than 100,000 visas since Trump took office the previous year.

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Source: CNN