New rules for Green Card applicants imposed by the Trump administration: Aliens must leave the US
The US has announced a new policy that requires most immigrants who want to apply for a Green Card to leave the country and apply at an embassy or consulate abroad, the BBC reports.
“From now on, an alien who is temporarily in the US and wants a Green Card must return to his country of origin to apply, except in extraordinary circumstances,” the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on Friday.
The measure – part of the Trump administration's efforts to reduce illegal immigration – closes a loophole that allowed foreign nationals, including tourists, students, to apply for a green card while in the US.
Critics of the policy say the system allowed families to stay together during the lengthy application process. The new method could also make it harder or impossible for immigrants who leave the country hoping to get a green card to return.
“When aliens file their applications from their country of origin, it reduces the need to identify and deport those who decide to enter the U.S. illegally and remain in the U.S. without right of abode after being denied residency,” USCIS said, noting that this makes the system “fairer and more efficient.”
It is unclear whether pending Green Card applications will be affected.
There are currently more than a million legal immigrants waiting for their green card applications to be approved, according to the Cato Institute's director of immigration studies.
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