Since 1940, the United States has allowed immigrants to enter and live in the country by applying for a green card. Those who choose to be permanent residents can renew their registration every ten years. And if they consider the US their new home, they have the option to study and take the US Citizenship Test.
But what happens if those registered individuals are forced out of the country and are told to reapply to return as permanent residents under a different naturalization process? That idea is what President Donald J. Trump decided when he and his supporting legislators passed the revised Immigration and Nationality Act on May 21, 2026.
What is the Trump Administration Green Card Policy?
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has established the updated immigration policies under Memo PM-602-0199. The Department of Homeland Security advises officers that many green card residents don’t always meet the criteria to obtain one.
Newly appointed DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin believed the US courts across the nation are too lenient in granting permanent residency. Under the revised guidelines, any alien outside of “extraordinary” circumstances has a choice to return to their country of origin and reapply under the Trump Administration’s process or will be held under parole temporarily.
The memo also states that some individuals will be labeled as non-immigrants if they meet certain conditions. However, if the labeled individual fails to maintain them, then they will be deported. According to TIME, these new policies will affect over 500,000 immigrants.
“The Administration is trying to make it as difficult for many people as possible to attain resident status,” said Daniel Kanstroom, founder of the Immigration and Asylum Clinic. “We’re focusing now on the group of people who potentially have the strongest reason to stay in this country legitimately.”
USCIS Spokesperson Zach Thaler commented that Mullin’s revision will stop “incentivizing loopholes” for illegal immigrants to live in the country. He refers to Section 245, which allows an individual to go through adjusted applications for permanent resident status.
Which Individuals Are at Risk?
CalMatters reported that non-naturalized relatives, mixed-status families, international students, and laid-off workers are bearing the weight of the revised Immigration and Nationality Act. In 2023, 64% of new green card residents were family-based applicants, thanks to family members who had achieved either US citizenship or permanent resident status.
Now, with the Trump Administration’s anti-immigration policies, applying to secure a green card has become a more arduous task. Lawyers, advocates, and those with a visa have reached out to multiple news outlets, expressing their concerns and fears that ongoing government reorganization will jeopardize their lives altogether, from their careers to the homes they have built.
The DHS uncomfortably questioned both pending and new applicants on their reasons for their green card or visa applications. Their methods are said to be debilitating, confusing, and unfair. Even the National Law Review is having trouble tracking the revisions following Mullin’s memo. Certain visas have been extended, while others must quickly adapt to the latest regulations.
Immigration is a Business to Them
Not only have the latest anti-immigration policies been demoralizing the soul of what the United States stood for, but the current administration is also manipulating residency opportunities, unless there is a quid pro quo payment to the government. President Trump had already made the idea publicly known by offering the gold card in February 2025.
The Trump Gold Card is intended as a premium green card and replaces the EB-5 visa. Instead of dedicating investments and entering the country with the intent to work in one of 10 full-time US job classifications, individuals can pay a minimum of $1 million for permanent residency. They also needed to pay an additional $15,000 fee for DHS processing, as well as additional fees for visas and legal processes. US companies are allowed to sponsor employees for $2 million each under the corporate tier.
Some visa classifications are seeing a similar salesman trend. International travelers rushing to visit the United States will be offered an expedited interview for $750 for B-1 and B-2 on July 1. This upcoming program is planned for businesses and tourists during the 2026 FIFA World Cup season. However, not everyone is invited.
Somalian UEFA referee Omar Artan was not allowed to enter the US because federal officials at Miami International Airport deemed him a “vetting concern,” despite his country being listed under limited entry. HITC has tracked countries banned from crossing the nation’s borders, including Iraq and Iran. Travelers are no exception: 19 countries are banned, while 20 are under partial restrictions.
Workers carrying or applying for the H-1B were ordered to pay $100,000 supplementary fees until 20 plaintiff states filed a lawsuit against the DHS. Workers outside of the country were affected after it was mandated on Sept. 19, 2025.
The District Court of Massachusetts successfully struck down the overpriced fee in the second week of June 2026. Federal Judge Leo Sorkin stated that it’s an unlawful tax and a violation of all three Administrative Procedure Acts. The Trump Administration has been seeking an appeal since June 11.
How Un-American the Nation Has Become
The United States is reverting to multiple eras of hostility towards foreigners and citizens. The country that is meant to symbolize democracy and unification has repeatedly grown more fractured under leaders who intend to use corrupt actions to penalize certain immigrant groups.
Secretary Mullin’s green card policy and the Trump Administration’s anti-immigration agenda will be remembered as the dark side of its history. Like the Japanese American Internment, where legal Americans were defined as an enemy of the state without any semblance of disloyal behavior. The formation of ICE has induced fear in the targeted minorities, destroying innocent lives and tearing families apart under the guise of defending the homefront from terrorists.
But nothing will be more disgusting than weaponizing the right to live in a nation. The United States used to represent a home of social acceptance, cultural diversity, and liberated freedom. Those American values are now endangered as long as the United States continues to show irrational, selfish leadership.
