Changing the rules in the middle of the game
Wednesday, May 27, 2026
What happened? Last week, the government announced that anyone wanting to apply for a Green Card needs to leave the United States to do so. This announcement caused immediate chaos and confusion for immigrants and those who love them.
As usual, I find myself needing to explain how things work in “normal times.” Typically, if someone is here legally on a temporary visa (think student visas, employer-sponsored work visas, etc.), and a pathway opens up to apply for a Green Card1, someone can “adjust their status” from within the U.S. and apply. This most commonly happens when someone marries a U.S. citizen, but some other workers and parents of American citizens become eligible to adjust their status, too.
One thing that is very frustrating and confusing — the actual memo from the government says, essentially, that officers can make an exception and allow people to adjust their statuses from within the country, but that it should be an “extraordinary circumstance.” However, on the government’s official X page, they announced that applicants must return to their home country to apply. So, as has happened so often with this administration, regular people are caught trying to interpret what the government actually means.
Whether or not everyone has to return home to apply for a green card, or just most people, this will be a massive change from how the system usually functions, and it’s more nefarious than it might initially sound. Remember that the U.S. has currently stopped all visa processing for citizens of 75 countries. So, if you’re here legally on a temporary visa from Thailand and become eligible to apply for a Green Card, the official instructions seem to be to return home. But then you have no path forward to apply for a Green Card because of the 75-country ban. Your other option is to overstay your visa and be illegally present in the country, but then you are at risk of deportation and detention.
The New York Times said that there were hints that this wouldn’t apply to refugees, but it doesn’t appear that the government has confirmed this.2 It is of the utmost importance that we do not require refugees to leave the country to apply for their Green Cards. They’ve already proven multiple times that to return home is to risk persecution or death.
Even if you’re returning home to a country like Canada, where we have no restrictions on visa applications, the wait time is usually over a year. Once again, people who are trying to follow a confusing set of rules are having the rules changed in the middle of the game. And loved ones will be separated because of the change.
How can I pray? Pray for everyone affected by this confusing news! Pray for grad students who were hoping to stay in the country. Pray for newlyweds planning their next steps. Pray for parents of American citizens who were thrilled with a path to permanent status here. Pray that all of these people will be surrounded by communities to support them.
Pray for refugees in the United States. Pray that our country will legally protect them, and that they are finding care and connection in their new home.
Pray for the attorneys trying to decipher what this memo means and how it affects their clients. May the Lord strengthen them and raise up others to join them in the work.
What is one more thing I can do? Let’s flex and grow our research muscles. Today, I want you to research whether or not your elected officials have commented on the change. It was announced on Friday, May 22, so look for press releases or posts from the 22nd onward. I recommend visiting their websites and also their social media profiles to see! As best I can tell, neither of my Senators nor my Representative has commented on this. If your rep has, consider thanking them in the comments or sending them an email expressing your gratitude that they are paying attention! If your rep hasn’t, you’ve still practiced going right to the source to get good information!
One immigration story, one prayer, one thing to do.
The casual way of saying “lawful permanent residency.”
Refugees adjust their immigration status under a different part of the law than the temporary statuses mentioned here. So, in theory, this memo should not apply to them. However, I would be much more comfortable if the administration explicitly said this, especially considering that most refugees can’t apply for Green Cards anyway because of other policies this administration has enacted. More on this:
Thank you as always for prayer recommendations. They’re my favorite part of neighbor notes!
This news has been devastating and so confusing. My fiancé has been here in the U.S. on a student visa. We are getting married in 2 months and then planned on applying for his adjustment of status to a green card. He’s from Brazil - a country apart of the 75-country ban. We were stunned and panicked when we first heard the news and have no idea what to do now. I’m hoping we can speak with a lawyer soon for advice and clarification.
The rule change is outrageous.