The United States Government has issued a directive that obliges applicants for the Green Card, or Green Card, to carry out the entire process from their country of origin, including those who are currently in U.S. territory processing their permanent residency. The measure seeks to make the immigration system function “as stipulated by law instead of encouraging legal loopholes,” according to a statement from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Objective: prevent abuses
USCIS has explained that this policy is specifically aimed at foreigners who try to start the process while in the United States “visiting,” a practice that represents more than half of active cases in the country. “It cannot be that someone comes temporarily for a specific purpose and uses that stay as a first step towards permanent residency,” the agency points out. The decision seeks to close legal loopholes that allow taking advantage of temporary stays to initiate permanent residency irregularly.
Resources directed to security and naturalization
In addition to ensuring the legality of the process, the agency argues that this measure will allow for the release of internal resources, which will be used to handle cases of violent crimes, human trafficking, and other naturalization procedures. The policy is part of a series of modifications implemented under the Trump Administration to tighten immigration restrictions and prioritize security and control of immigration flows.