The U.S. administration is contemplating a policy requiring certain green card applicants from abroad to post a bond, potentially as high as $100,000. This move is part of the administration's broader strategy to limit immigration by individuals with fewer financial means. This initiative is designed to discourage applicants who might be deemed a public charge or those who might rely on public assistance in the future.
This proposed bond requirement is a significant departure from current immigration procedures and is expected to face considerable opposition from immigrant advocacy groups and some lawmakers. The policy aims to ensure that new immigrants are financially self-sufficient upon arrival, aligning with the administration's stated goals of prioritizing immigrants who can contribute economically without becoming a burden on the U.S. welfare system. The exact criteria for who would be subject to such a bond are still under discussion, but it is anticipated to target those who do not meet certain income or asset thresholds.
This consideration of a bond for green card applicants abroad comes alongside other changes to immigration policy. For instance, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has indicated that nonimmigrants in the U.S. temporarily, such as students or temporary workers, wanting to apply for a green card must return to their home countries to apply, except in "extraordinary circumstances" determined by USCIS officers apnews.com. This follows a policy memorandum from May 21, 2026, which labels adjustment of status as an "extraordinary form of relief," creating a preference for consular processing abroad over domestic adjustment of status einpresswire.com.
Congressional Democrats have expressed strong objection to these policy changes, arguing that they undermine the intent of Section 245 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), which established adjustment of status to promote family unity, administrative efficiency, and economic stability. They contend that there is no statutory basis for treating adjustment of status as an extraordinary relief and that Congress has historically preferred allowing eligible noncitizens to adjust their status while remaining in the United States einpresswire.com. Critics, like former USCIS advisor Doug Rand, suggest the goal is to reduce the number of people obtaining permanent residency, thus limiting their path to citizenship apnews.com.
