US Green Card Applicants Required to Apply from Home Countries, DHS Announces

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on May 24, 2026, that individuals seeking to adjust their immigration status to obtain a green card must now apply from their home countries. This change, communicated through a policy memo by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), requires applicants to process their applications through the State Department. Previously, the process had allowed applicants to adjust their status while remaining in the US. The new policy is expected to impact many green card applicants, particularly mixed-status families, as they may need to leave their jobs and homes during the application process. The USCIS stated that this policy aims to ensure the immigration system functions according to the law and does not incentivize loopholes. The implications for currently pending green card cases remain unclear. Advocacy groups have criticized the change, arguing it could endanger vulnerable individuals, such as survivors of trafficking and abused children, by forcing them to return to potentially dangerous situations.