US says temporary visa holders should leave to apply for Green Cards

Key points

• Authorities say Green Cards from inside US are discretionary, not automatic rights.
• The Trump administration has said foreign nationals who enter the US on temporary visas should return to their home countries if they want to apply for permanent residency, arguing that the move is aimed at reinforcing the existing legal immigration system.
• Officials said the policy is intended to ensure Green Card applications follow standard immigration procedures, rather than allowing people to remain in the US while seeking permanent status through what the administration describes as “loopholes” in the system.
• “An alien who is in the US temporarily and wants a Green Card must return to their home country to apply.
• This policy allows our immigration system to function as the law intended instead of incentivising loopholes,” the Department of Homeland Security said on X.