USCIS Memo Sparks Uncertainty Over Green Cards

Friday's USCIS memo restricting 'adjustment of status' to extraordinary circumstances rattled immigration lawyers and clients, triggering a weekend flood of questions about whether to file, wait, or travel abroad while green-card cases are in limbo. While USCIS said the guidance likely won’t affect applicants who provide an economic benefit or national interest, many tech workers, startup founders, physicians, students, and others face renewed uncertainty and potential delays in consular processing, forcing some to consider leaving the U.S. for extended periods as cases unfold.