‎US orders Green Card applicants to return home for processing

The administration of Donald Trump has directed Nigerians and other foreign nationals seeking permanent residency in the United States to return to their home countries to complete their Green Card applications.
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‎The policy, announced by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services on Friday, ends the long-standing practice that allowed many applicants already living in the US to adjust their immigration status without leaving the country.
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‎Under the new directive, applicants must now process their applications through US consulates or embassies in their countries of origin, except in what officials described as “extraordinary circumstances.”
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‎According to the Department of Homeland Security, the move is aimed at restoring the “original intent” of US immigration law and tightening immigration controls. Officials also argued that the change would help immigration agencies focus resources on other pending cases.
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‎The policy is expected to affect thousands of immigrants already residing in the US, including workers, students, asylum seekers, and individuals married to American citizens. Immigration advocates and legal experts have criticised the decision, warning that it could separate families, disrupt jobs, and create uncertainty for applicants with pending residency cases.
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‎The announcement forms part of a broader immigration crackdown by the Trump administration, which has introduced stricter visa rules and expanded entry restrictions for several countries, including Nigeria.