The Trump administration has shifted from targeting undocumented migrants to tightening legal immigration. After pulling back enforcement in Chicago and Minneapolis following poor polls, officials announced a new rule that forces most green‑card applicants to leave the United States while their cases are processed. The move, unveiled by the Department of Homeland Security, signals a broader strategy to curb all immigration flows.

Under the policy, applicants from more than 35 countries must wait abroad for decisions that can take years, disrupting families and labor‑market planning. The administration simultaneously paused the diversity visa lottery that issued over 50,000 visas annually and halted long‑term immigrant visas for 75 nations. Critics argue the changes conflate fraud concerns with a political push to reduce overall immigration numbers.

The shift threatens sectors that rely on skilled permanent residents, from tech firms to university labs, by creating uncertainty around the green card pipeline. Polls show nearly 60 % of Americans view legal immigrants as economic assets, yet the administration frames the crackdown as protecting jobs and preventing system abuse. The policy now forces families to split across borders, a tangible cost of the new agenda.