New US Immigration Policy: Foreigners Must Return to Home Country for Green Card Applications

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on the 22nd that foreigners seeking to adjust their immigration status to obtain a green card must return to their home country and apply through the State Department. This move has been criticized by aid groups. The Department of Homeland Security stated that this policy allows the immigration system to operate as intended by law, rather than encouraging loopholes. USCIS noted that the new policy will help free up agency resources, allowing staff to focus on other cases. However, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), which serves refugees and other immigrant groups, stated that this approach forces survivors of human trafficking and abused children to return to the dangerous countries they fled in order to apply for permanent residency. This policy change is the latest step in the Trump administration's efforts to strengthen immigration measures over the past year.