05/24/2026
USCIS recently issued guidance stating that Adjustment of Status should be treated as an “extraordinary” discretionary benefit rather than a routinely available process for individuals seeking permanent residence from within the United States.
At this stage, the practical impact of the guidance is still unclear, and individuals with pending or planned cases generally should not assume they need to stop or abandon their immigration process based solely on headlines or social media speculation.
For now, applicants should continue properly preparing their cases, maintaining lawful status where possible, attending scheduled appointments, and responding to USCIS notices on time. Additional clarification and legal challenges are likely to follow in the coming weeks and months.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced a new policy memo reiterating the fact that, consistent with long-standing immigration law and immigration court decisions, aliens seeking adjustment of status must do so through consular processing via the Department of State outside of the....