Overview
- USCIS issued a memorandum (PM-602-0199) that took effect after publication on Friday, May 22, directing that most temporary nonimmigrants seeking permanent residence must complete their green card process at U.S. consulates in their countries of origin.
- The memo tells officers to treat adjustment of status inside the United States as a discretionary, extraordinary relief rather than a routine procedure and signals narrow exceptions for cases that provide an economic benefit or serve the national interest.
- Immigration lawyers and advocacy groups report that officers have already changed interview questions and asked for extra documents, and DHS has said the change will not stop those who legitimately qualify from getting green cards while leaving many implementation details unresolved.
- Experts warn the shift could trigger reentry bars for people with prior unlawful presence, create long waits where consular capacity is limited, and disrupt family life and industries that rely on temporary workers, with one estimate of roughly 600,000 in‑country filings a year that may be affected.
- Legal and advocacy groups have announced close review and voiced plans for litigation, while employers and applicants face immediate uncertainty about treatment of pending cases and the standards that will govern the narrow 'extraordinary' exceptions.