5 things to know about Trump's new green card proposal

Key Points:

• The Trump administration issued a new policy directive requiring most temporary visa holders and humanitarian parolees in the U.S. to return to their home countries to await green cards, reversing a longstanding practice of allowing applicants to remain in the U.S. during the process.
• The Department of Homeland Security later downplayed the memo's significance, stating it was not a blanket policy and that immigration officers retain discretion, but legal experts see this as a tactic to avoid litigation amid widespread confusion and panic.
• The policy primarily affects those applying for adjustment of status within the U.S., including family-based applicants, tech workers, and international students, with concerns that it might be applied retroactively to pending cases.
• Immigration attorneys warn that the new rules could lead to immediate removal proceedings for applicants and prolonged separations from families due to lengthy consular processing times, while some visa processing has been halted in over 70 countries.
• Legal experts and advocacy groups condemn the memo as illegal and harmful, predicting inevitable court challenges, and advise immigrants to seek legal representation during interviews due to the unpredictable and harsh enforcement environment.