USCIS Directs Most Immigrants To Return Home For Green Cards; DOJ Expands Denaturalization
USCIS has ended most in-country adjustment of status, directing applicants to consular processing abroad. At the same time, DOJ is escalating denaturalization for citizens who concealed material facts.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has directed most immigrants temporarily in the U.S. to return to their home countries to apply for a Green Card, ending the ability to adjust status from within the U.S. Additionally, the U.S. government is actively revoking (denaturalizing) citizenship for individuals who lied or concealed material information during their original immigration processes.
1. Returning Home To Apply For A Green Card
- The general rule: Current U.S. policy requires immigrants seeking permanent residency to return to their home country to complete the immigrant visa process.
- The "Catch-22" / reentry bars: Leaving the U.S. can trigger mandatory unlawful presence bars that block reentry for 3 to 10 years. Waivers like the Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver exist but require showing "extreme hardship" to a U.S. citizen or LPR spouse or parent.
- Exceptions: Officials note exceptions may be made for individuals who provide an "economic benefit" or serve a "national interest."
2. Fraud And Revocation Of Citizenship
- Denaturalization efforts: The Department of Justice has escalated proceedings to revoke citizenship from naturalized citizens found guilty of fraud, misrepresentation, or concealment of material facts.
- The effect of fraud: If someone lied or omitted critical information (criminal records, prior deportations, identity fraud) on a Green Card application, that fraud renders any subsequent naturalization illegally procured.
- Current government stance: The government has expanded the categories of offenses prioritized for denaturalization beyond violent crimes to include financial and drug-related offenses.
Serving immigrants in Tampa, Wesley Chapel, throughout Florida, Massachusetts, and across the United States. This summary is general information, not legal advice — speak with a licensed attorney before acting.