US lawmakers, immigration advocates critical of new Green Card policy, demand reversal

US lawmakers and immigration advocates have slated the Donald Trump administration's new policy, asking Green Card seekers to return to their countries of origin before applying, reports the Press Trust of India.

The criticism of the move from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on Friday, with many calling it ''reckless and wrong''.

The USCIS, however, did not clarify whether certain groups, including the skilled foreign workers on H-1B visas, would be exempted, only suggesting that the policy may not apply to persons seeking asylum.

USCIS spokesperson Zach Kahler said people who” provide an economic benefit or otherwise are in the national interest will likely be able to continue on their current path”.

Aid groups were also critical of the decision.

Democratic lawmakers said they will fight the ''reprehensible'' decision and push for its reversal.

''This puts 1.2 million Indian Americans and their families in limbo after they followed every law, paid taxes and waited legally for decades,'' Ajay Bhutoria, immigration advocate on the policy, was quoted as saying.

Bhutoria warned that different groups will file lawsuits challenging the policy.

''This reckless policy shows a stunning disregard for the human cost it will impose on hundreds of thousands of people each year. We will pursue every avenue to fight against this reprehensible decision and push for its reversal,'' Congresswoman Grace Meng said in a statement.

''Trump just made legal immigration harder - on purpose. America is able to attract the top researchers, doctors, and engineers because of our worker visa programmes,'' Congressman Greg Stanton said on X.

''Forcing these immigrants to now leave the US before applying for citizenship will deprive us of their innovation, their tax dollars, and their contributions to our economy,'' Stanton added.

Texas Congressman Joaquin Castro and Illinois Congressman Chuy García also criticised the new rule.

David J Bier, director of Immigration Studies at the Cato Institute, termed the policy ''illogical'' because “it will drive talented people to other countries and make America a less competitive place for business”.

''The new White House policy requiring green card applicants to apply from outside the US is a capricious attack on legal immigration. It will hurt families, leave us with fewer doctors, teachers and scientists, and hurt American competitiveness in AI,'' Andrew Ng, co-founder of Coursera said in a post on X.

The policy memo directed officers to consider relevant factors and information on a case-by-case basis when determining whether extraordinary relief is warranted.

"An alien who is in the US temporarily and wants a Green Card must return to their home country to apply," said the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Previously, many applicants were able to remain in the US with family members, often US citizens or Green Card holders, while their applications were being processed, which could take several years.

Under the new policy, that arrangement will no longer apply in most cases.

The DHS said in a post on X: “Our country’s immigration process is over for those who try to game the system.”

However, critics say the new rules will make it harder to obtain Green Cards and could reduce legal immigration.

More than 1 million people are currently waiting for Green Card decisions in the US, according to the BBC.

It is not immediately clear whether their applications will also fall under the new rules or require additional steps.