adsA new immigration policy introduced by Donald Trump’s administration could make it significantly harder for Nigerians living in the United States to secure permanent residency, as US immigration officials are now being directed to apply tougher scrutiny to green card applications filed from within the country.
The policy memorandum, issued by the United States Department of Homeland Security on May 21, 2026, does not cancel adjustment of status applications or repeal existing immigration law. However, immigration experts say it changes how officials are expected to interpret and apply those laws, particularly for migrants who entered the US on temporary visas but later sought permanent residency.
Read also: Trump assures US migrants graduates of Green Card
According to Harvard Consults, an immigration advisory firm, the memo sharpens the discretionary powers of officials at the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, USCIS, by placing greater emphasis on immigration history, visa compliance, and the original purpose of entry into the US.
The advisory explained that Section 245 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows eligible migrants already living in the US to apply for permanent residency without returning to their home countries, remains fully operational. Congress has not repealed the law and no executive order has suspended it.adsads
