Trump Administration forces Green Card seekers to leave US: Here's everything to know

The Trump administration mandates that most foreigners seeking green cards leave the U.S. by Friday, May 22.

This marks the end of a 60-year practice which allowed many to adjust their status from within the United States.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a new rule via a memo stating that permanent residency will only be granted to applicants inside the country under “extraordinary circumstances.”

The agency stated that applicants must now go through consular processing abroad.

USCIS spokesman Zach Kahler said: “This policy allows our immigration system to function as the law intended instead of incentivising loopholes.”

He added that requiring applicants to leave would deter those who might otherwise “slip into the shadows” after a denial.

However, immigration lawyers and lobby organisations have responded in immediate shock and panic about the change. Thousands of people, such as students, foreign workers, and even the spouses of U.S. citizens entering the United States with valid visa documents, will be impacted by the change.

Due to the lengthy process associated with obtaining permanent residency status, the new policy will lead to long-term separation and uproot individuals from their employment and residences.

With the policy, strict tightening is imposed on immigration, increasing legal challenges for applicants.

USCIS has yet to clarify which specific groups may qualify for the exception.