The Trump administration has pulled back its aggressive operations in cities like Chicago and Minneapolis after bad polling indicated the crackdown on illegal immigration was unpopular.
In its wake, however, a new approach is emerging on legal immigration, one that makes it harder for those abroad to enter the United States, and for those already here on a temporary basis to stay. In recent months, Trump administration officials have discussed the legal immigration system as rife with fraud and abuse, and in need of wholesale reform.
The increasingly tough tack on legal immigration was underscored Friday when the Department of Homeland Security announced a policy requiring most immigrants seeking green cards to leave the United States while they wait long periods of time for their applications to be processed.
Green cards are granted to legal permanent residents who have been vetted by the government and are one step away from becoming citizens. The policy caused immigration attorneys to scramble to understand the scope of a process that had long avoided being targeted.
The announcement followed a broader effort to restrict travel for immigrants from more than 35 countries. The Trump administration paused a lottery program that offered more than 50,000 visas internationally. It halted long-term immigrant visas from 75 countries. And it froze immigration applications for those already in the United States from countries on a restricted travel list, making it harder for those nationals to obtain temporary or long-term ways to stay in the country.
The New York Times previously reported that the Trump administration was working on a policy to make it harder for those who could need public assistance to gain a green card.
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