U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services announced a change in its approach to adjustment of status processing via a new memo [1, 2, 3].
This shift in policy affects how legal residents apply for green cards and could impact the majority of applicants across the country. For some urban centers, the implications are particularly severe, with tens of thousands of people in Philadelphia potentially affected by the policy [4].
The agency issued the memo on May 22, 2026 [2]. The updated guidelines change the administrative handling of adjustment of status cases, which is the process used by some eligible immigrants to obtain permanent residency without returning to their home country for an interview.
Critics suggest the policy change is part of a broader strategy to increase the volume of immigration enforcement. The shift may target legal immigration pathways to meet specific arrest quotas for undocumented individuals.
"The Trump administration has been saying since the beginning that there are targets for arrests of undocumented individuals, and the only way they get there is to go after legal immigration," Joseph said. "They don't get to the numbers that they need if they're only going after criminals" [5].
Legal experts are reviewing the specific requirements of the new memo to determine how it alters the evidentiary standards for applicants. The change applies nationwide, affecting all USCIS offices and processing centers [1, 2].
“The shift in policy affects how legal residents apply for green cards.”
The USCIS memo signals a move toward more restrictive processing of green card applications. By tightening the adjustment of status process, the administration may be creating more opportunities to deny legal residency or identify individuals for deportation, shifting the focus from criminal priority to broader legal immigration targets.
