The U.S. government under the administration of Donald Trump announced that individuals regularizing their residency will not need to leave the country during case reviews.
This policy change affects the legal status of thousands of applicants who previously faced uncertainty regarding their ability to remain in the U.S. while awaiting a decision on their residency. By allowing applicants to stay, the administration reduces the risk of immediate deportation or forced departure for those in the legal pipeline.
The administration said each application will be reviewed individually. This shift comes after a pause in migration procedures that lasted more than three months [2]. The government also eased the pause on certain work permits and petitions for citizens of 39 countries considered high-risk [1].
While the administration has presented these changes as a flexibilization of the process, other reports indicate different drivers. A federal judge ordered the administration to reactivate green card applications that had been suspended, suggesting the government did not resume the process independently.
Separate from the review of existing applications, the administration has introduced a different path to residency. This program, known as the "Trump Golden Card," is a millionaire visa that offers residency in exchange for a payment of one million dollars [3].
These developments create a fragmented landscape for immigration. Some applicants benefit from the removal of the requirement to leave the U.S., while others are subject to a high-cost financial path to legal status. The individual review process means that outcomes will vary significantly based on the specific details of each case.
“Individuals regularizing their residency will not need to leave the country during case reviews.”
The shift toward individual case reviews and the ability to remain in the U.S. suggests a move toward a more discretionary immigration system. However, the contradiction between the administration's claims and the federal judge's order indicates that judicial oversight remains a primary driver for the resumption of these services. The introduction of a million-dollar residency option further signals a bifurcated approach to immigration, prioritizing high-net-worth individuals while maintaining strict, case-by-case scrutiny for other applicants.
