Trump administration has ordered green card applicants to leave the US, apply from their home countries

Maye Musk reacted by recounting her own lengthy green card process as a Canadian immigrant

US President Donald Trump’s administration has imposed another unprecedented diktat on legal residents that noncitizens even if they are legally in the US must leave the country if and when they apply for a permanent residency also known as the Green Card.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced this major shift in immigration policy said applicants must leave the country indefinitely also regardless of whether they have spouses or children with citizenship.

This implies that Green Card petitioners must wait for their application to be processed outside the country through consular processing via the U.S. Department of State. US Citizenship and Immigration Services said that only in extraordinary circumstances and on a case-by-case basis will it grant "adjustment of status" or allow a petitioner to stay. 

The US government says noncitizens travel into the country via student visas, tourist visas or temporary work status, they are supposed to leave once that term expires and that temporary permission to be in the U.S. should not serve as the first step toward getting a green card. lawsuits and litigation are bound to challenge this policy change. 

USCIS Spokesman Zach Kahler explained that the government is quote "returning to the original intent of the law to ensure aliens navigate our nation’s immigration system properly. From now on, an alien who is in the U.S. temporarily and wants a green card must return to their home country to apply, except in extraordinary circumstances. This policy allows our immigration system to function as the law intended instead of incentivizing loopholes” end quote. 

Kahler said the US government feels this is a means to find and remove those who "decide to slip into the shadows" and remain in the U.S. illegally after being denied residency. He added that the system is designed for aliens to leave when their visit is over and not function as the first step in the green card process.

Indians in the US, students, H1B, J and other category visa holders, will suffer a setback. There might be millions who have U.S. citizen spouses or children, pay taxes and even work as labour and, if removed from the country, will face long processing delays and humanitarian concerns.

Though USCIS and legal experts have not yet clarified whether Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will begin deporting green card applicants.