The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) says many foreign nationals who are in the United States temporarily and want to adjust their status to obtain a green card must now apply from outside the country through the State Department. USCIS announced the change in a policy memorandum and instructed its officers to evaluate requests using relevant factors and information on a case-by-case basis when deciding whether “extraordinary relief” is warranted. The US Department of Homeland Security, which oversees USCIS, states the policy is intended to keep the immigration system aligned with how the law is intended to function, rather than encouraging workarounds. DHS also says the approach will help USCIS focus resources on processing other cases.
Advocacy and aid groups criticize the change, saying it may force people to return to countries they left, including those who are vulnerable. Some supporters of the policy argue it is a practical shift in how applications are handled, while critics contend it increases risk for applicants facing abuse, neglect, trafficking-related harm, or other dangers in their home countries.
