May 30, 2026
WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 08: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media prior to a Marine One departure from the South Lawn of the White House on May 8, 2026 in Washington, DC. President Trump is flying to Sterling, Virginia to attend a LIV Golf dinner. Alex Wong/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by ALEX WONG / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
The Trump administration has walked back its announcement that non-citizens seeking permanent US residency, commonly called a Green Card, would need to return to their home country to apply, The New York Times reported.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told the newspaper on Friday that its policy announcement last week was not a requirement for all applicants, but would rather be implemented “on a case-by-case basis.”
A Trump administration spokesman, Zach Kahler, said on May 22 that “from now on, an alien who is in the US temporarily and wants a Green Card must return to their home country to apply, except in extraordinary circumstances.”
