Trump Tightens Green Card Rules, Immigrants Forced to Return Home
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - The administration of President Donald Trump has again tightened the United States’ immigration policy. This time, the Trump administration requires most applicants for green cards, or permanent residency, to return to their country of origin to file their applications.
The new policy was announced by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on Friday, 22 May 2026, local time. The rule changes a practice that has existed for more than six decades, whereby certain visa holders could adjust their status to green card holders without leaving the United States.
In a policy memo, USCIS states that foreign nationals who are temporarily in the U.S. and wish to obtain a green card must now progress through the consular process abroad, except in “extraordinary circumstances.”
“Foreign nationals who are in the U.S. temporarily and wish to obtain a Green Card must return to their country of origin to apply,” the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said, as quoted by The Guardian on Saturday, 23 May 2026.
DHS stressed that the policy is designed to ensure the immigration system operates as intended. “The era of abusing our immigration system is over,” wrote DHS on its official X account.
USCIS spokesperson Zach Kahler said the new rule will close gaps that have allowed tourist, student, and temporary workers to start the green-card process while still within the U.S.
“Visits to the U.S. should not be the first step in the process of obtaining a green card,” Kahler said. He added the policy would make the U.S. immigration system fairer and more efficient.
This latest move forms part of a hardline set of immigration policies under Trump over the past year. Previously, the U.S. government also shortened visa validity for foreign students, cultural exchange participants, and media workers.
In January, the U.S. Department of State announced that it had revoked more than 100,000 visas during Trump’s second term.
Additionally, the Trump administration has tightened access for refugees and other migrant groups who previously had legal protection in the United States. The government has also imposed restrictions or entry bans on nationals from nearly 40 countries.
The new green-card policy is expected to have a significant impact on millions of legal immigrants in the United States. A director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute said there are more than 1 million immigrants currently awaiting green-card approvals.
Under the new rules, many applicants may have to leave their jobs, homes, and families in the U.S. while the application is processed, which could take months or years.
As yet, it remains unclear whether green-card applications already in process will be affected by the new rule. However USCIS indicated that applicants deemed to have economic value or national interest to the U.S. may still be able to continue processing from within the country.
On the other hand, the U.S. government has stressed that violations of visa stays can lead to deportation, future visa refusals, and even a 10-year ban on re-entry to the United States.