International

US Ends 60-Year Policy, Orders Nigerians, Others Home for Green Card Processing

Published

3 months ago

May 23, 2026

US Ends 60-Year Policy, Orders Nigerians, Others Home for Green Card Processing

United States President Donald Trump has introduced a new immigration policy requiring Nigerians and other foreign nationals seeking green cards to return to their countries of origin to complete the application process, except under extraordinary circumstances. The directive was announced on Friday through a statement released by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) , effectively ending a longstanding practice that had allowed legal immigrants to apply for and obtain permanent residency from within the United States for over 60 years . According to the agency, the policy is intended to restore what it described as the “original intent” of American immigration laws .

USCIS explained that individuals seeking permanent residency through adjustment of status would now process their applications at US consular offices outside the country under the supervision of the Department of State. The agency stated, “We’re returning to the original intent of the law to ensure aliens navigate our nation’s immigration system properly. From now on, an alien who is in the U.S. temporarily and wants a Green Card must return to their home country to apply, except in extraordinary circumstances” . A spokesperson for USCIS, Zach Kahler , said the measure would help reduce the number of immigrants who remain in the United States unlawfully after their residency requests are denied .

“This policy allows our immigration system to function as the law intended instead of incentivising loopholes. When aliens apply from their home country, it reduces the need to find and remove those who decide to slip into the shadows and remain in the U.S. illegally after being denied residency,” Kahler said . The immigration agency noted that the new policy would mainly affect temporary visa holders , including tourists, students, and foreign workers residing in the United States on nonimmigrant visas . “Nonimmigrants, like students, temporary workers, or people on tourist visas, come to the U.S. for a short time and for a specific purpose. Our system is designed for them to leave when their visit is over. Their visit should not function as the first step in the Green Card process,” the statement added.

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USCIS further argued that handling green card applications through overseas consular offices would allow the agency to redirect resources to other immigration-related responsibilities. According to the statement, greater attention would now be given to applications involving victims of violent crimes, cases linked to human trafficking, naturalisation requests, and related immigration services. “The law was written this way for a reason, and despite the fact that it has been ignored for years, following it will help make our system fairer and more efficient,” the agency stated .

The policy change has drawn sharp criticism from immigrant rights advocates, legal experts, and humanitarian organisations , who warn that it could separate families, create new barriers for applicants, and expose some individuals to long waits or dangers in their countries of origin. World Relief , a humanitarian and refugee resettlement organization, warned in a statement: “If families are told that the non-citizen family member must return to his or her country of origin to process their immigrant visa, but immigrant visas are not being processed there, it’s a Catch-22. These policies will effectively create an indefinite separation of families” .

Jamaican immigration attorney Dahlia Walker-Huntington told The Gleaner that the move is likely headed for a major legal challenge. “I can bet my last dollar that there will be a lawsuit in short order to stop this. As far as immigration lawyers are concerned, this is against existing law. Adjustment of status is not a policy… a discretionary policy, it is factored into law,” she said. She pointed to section 245(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act , which allows certain qualifying immigrants to obtain a green card from within the US . Attorney Oliver J. Langstadt added that this policy memo is going to result in “heavy litigation,” and that his “colleagues are already brewing for a fight” .

The immigration agency noted that officers are now directed to consider all relevant factors and information on a case-by-case basis when determining whether an alien warrants this “extraordinary form of relief” . The memo doesn’t create new law but could influence officers to treat applicants more skeptically, said Rachel Girod , a partner at Eldridge Crandell. “They’re implying that it’s a negative factor to even just be applying for adjustment of status,” Girod said, arguing USCIS selectively cited decades-old case law to justify a more restrictive approach. Legal challenges could emerge if USCIS begins denying applications based heavily on the memo’s discretionary framework, Girod said .

USCIS did not specify when the change would take effect , whether individuals would be required to remain outside the United States throughout the entire processing period, or whether the policy would affect applications already pending. According to an analyst with the Cato Institute, more than 1 million immigrants in the US are waiting on their green cards . The announcement has sent shockwaves through immigrant communities across the United States, including thousands of Nigerians who are currently in the country legally on various visa categories and were pursuing the path to permanent residency .

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The policy also raises serious concerns for individuals from countries where US consular operations are limited or suspended. Attorney Langstadt noted that with the current pause on immigrant visa processing in 75 countries, insisting that people go overseas means they are “basically walking into a serious problem.” He further stated that there are people who are trying to get their green cards but have overstayed their legal stay in the US, and if they leave and go overseas, they would be subjected to a three or a 10-year bar and will have to file an additional waiver abroad which may or may not be granted .

HIAS , an aid group that provides services to refugees, among other groups of immigrants, said USCIS was forcing survivors of trafficking and abused and neglected children to return to the dangerous countries they fled in order to process their applications for green cards granting them permanent residency in the US . The group argued that this policy could put the most vulnerable migrants at serious risk by forcing them back into harm’s way. The USCIS memo does provide for “extraordinary circumstances” to be considered, but it remains unclear what criteria would qualify for such an exemption .

The latest directive comes amid a broader tightening of immigration policies under the Trump administration. In December 2025, the administration temporarily suspended the processing of green card and citizenship applications submitted by Nigerians and nationals of several other countries that were added to a US travel ban, according to reports by CBS News . The suspension affected legal immigration applications handled by USCIS and largely targeted applicants from selected African and Asian countries. Many of those impacted were already residing legally in the United States and were seeking permanent residency or US citizenship . The administration also instructed USCIS to halt immigration petitions, including applications for permanent residency and naturalisation, from nationals of 19 countries covered by a travel ban announced in June, with Nigeria listed under “partial suspension” alongside Angola, Benin, Senegal, Tanzania, and others .

Friday’s policy change is the latest in a series of steps taken by Donald Trump over the last year to tighten immigration to the United States. Last year, the Trump administration moved to shorten the duration of visas for students, cultural exchange visitors, and members of the media. In January 2026, the state department announced that it had revoked more than 100,000 visas in the second Trump administration . The administration has also attacked other immigrants with legal status in the US, like refugees and other protected immigrants .

The move followed a shooting incident in Washington, D.C., during Thanksgiving week in which two National Guard soldiers were injured. US authorities alleged that the attack was carried out by an Afghan national . The administration has cited security concerns as justification for many of its recent immigration restrictions. The December 2025 suspension of green card processing for nationals of travel ban countries was reportedly linked to this incident .

Immigration attorneys are advising clients to seek legal counsel to understand how the new policy might affect their specific circumstances and to explore whether they might qualify for the “extraordinary circumstances” exemption. Walker-Huntington offered advice to those affected: “It’s rough. And I feel for my people today who are getting word of this, and I really just want to tell them, if you have a lawyer, reach out to your lawyer. If you don’t have a lawyer, reach out to a lawyer” . As legal challenges are expected to be filed in short order, the fate of this policy may ultimately be decided by the federal courts.

US Ends 60-Year Policy, Orders Nigerians, Others Home for Green Card Processing

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International

UK, Australia, Canada Lead 28 Nations in Condemning Israel Over Gaza Aid Killings Probe Closure

Published

13 hours ago

August 21, 2026

Trends Admin

UK, Australia, Canada Lead 28 Nations in Condemning Israel Over Gaza Aid Killings Probe Closure

The United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada have condemned Israel’s decision to close a criminal investigation into the 2024 killing of seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid workers in Gaza, calling the move “shameful” and “both too little, and too late.” The announcement came on World Humanitarian Day, August 19, 2026, a timing the three governments described as “particularly egregious.”

The Israeli military announced on August 19 that it would not pursue criminal proceedings into the April 1, 2024 strike on the WCK convoy, saying there was no reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct. The attack killed seven humanitarian workers who were delivering food to civilians in Gaza. The victims included Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom, three British security personnel, a dual Canadian-US citizen Jacob Flickinger, Polish national Damian Sobol, and Palestinian Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha. The deadly strike occurred despite the convoy having coordinated its route with the Israeli military, and the vehicles were clearly marked with the WCK logo.

In a joint statement issued on August 21, the foreign ministries of the three countries said they had spent more than two years pressing Israel to conduct a swift and thorough investigation into the attack and hold those responsible to account. The governments noted that at the time, the Israel Defense Forces had described the incident as a serious mistake and failure, and that in the more than two years since, they had been pressing for Israel to swiftly and thoroughly consider the case and hold those responsible to account. The statement said the decision to close the case without further explanation was “shameful” and that announcing it on World Humanitarian Day, while the world honoured the courage and sacrifice of humanitarians, was particularly egregious. The governments stressed that the World Central Kitchen attack was not an isolated incident, arguing that the lack of accountability extended to numerous other incidents involving humanitarian workers in Gaza, noting that despite a fragile ceasefire, Gaza remains the deadliest place to deliver aid, with 186 humanitarian workers killed in 2025.

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Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong separately expressed outrage at the decision, stating that the Israeli military’s response fell short of the standards of accountability Australia expected following the killing of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and six other WCK workers. Wong summoned Israel’s ambassador to Australia, Hillel Newman, to express her concerns and later acknowledged that relations between Australia and Israel were at a “difficult time.” She said the government had learned of Israel’s decision moments before it was announced on World Humanitarian Day, which she described as “especially insulting to Zomi’s loved ones, humanitarians and all Australians.” The foreign minister said key questions remained unanswered, including why two further strikes followed the initial attack, each two minutes apart, why the strikes occurred in a humanitarian “fire control” zone, and Israel’s repeated refusals to hand over audio evidence of the attack. Wong stated that Australia did not have confidence in the IDF’s Military Advocate-General’s process given the many unanswered questions.

Frankcom’s family expressed deep disappointment and called on the Australian government to pursue all available legal avenues for an independent and credible investigation. Her brother, Josh Frankcom, said Israel’s decision was “simply not good enough.” The family has been vocal in demanding accountability for Zomi’s death, and they have questioned why the Israeli military has not provided a satisfactory explanation for the attack.

Israeli Ambassador to Australia Hillel Newman defended the military investigation, saying it was thorough and that the findings should not be attacked if they were not suitable to one’s political agenda. He said the IDF conceded serious failures had led soldiers to mistakenly believe a Hamas fighter was travelling with the convoy, but concluded there was no criminal intent. Newman said Israel was open to discussing reparations for Frankcom’s family if a formal request was lodged, but he stopped short of offering a formal apology, saying doing so could have legal ramifications. The IDF’s decision came alongside announcements that it would open criminal investigations into two other high-profile Gaza incidents: the killing of six-year-old Hind Rajab and six family members in January 2024, and the killing of 15 rescue workers in a Rafah convoy in March 2024. The United Nations has accused Israel of failing to provide adequate accountability for civilian deaths in Gaza, and the latest decision is likely to deepen international isolation for Israel.

UK, Australia, Canada Lead 28 Nations in Condemning Israel Over Gaza Aid Killings Probe Closure

International

North Korea Fires 10+ Missiles Hours After Trump Signals Fresh Kim Summit

Published

2 days ago

August 20, 2026

Trends Admin

North Korea Fires 10+ Missiles Hours After Trump Signals Fresh Kim Summit

North Korea launched more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea on Thursday, just hours after President Donald Trump publicly declared his intention to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un later this year. The provocative test represents a blunt rejection of Trump’s diplomatic overtures and comes despite his recent order to scale back joint US-South Korean military drills. The launch was detected around 5:00 p.m. local time from the Pyongyang area. According to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, the missiles traveled approximately 300 kilometers before landing in the sea, with detailed specifications still under analysis by US and South Korean intelligence. This marks the 12th missile test by Pyongyang this year and comes only eight days after the previous launch.

The missile salvo directly follows a series of conciliatory gestures from Washington. On Monday, Trump posted on social media that he had ordered the Pentagon to “substantially reduce” joint military exercises with South Korea, citing what he described as his “very good relationship” with Kim Jong Un. The following day, Trump told reporters that Kim had responded to his “dialogue” offer, though he declined to share specifics. The Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercises, originally scheduled to run for 11 days, were abruptly shortened to just 5 days following Trump’s directive. The Pentagon said the reduced drills would cause “no degradation to US training objectives.” Reports indicate Trump is privately pushing aides to arrange a meeting with Kim as early as this fall, potentially during an Asia trip scheduled for November 2026 for the APEC summit in Shenzhen.

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Despite these overtures, North Korea responded with defiance. Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of Kim Jong Un and a senior Workers’ Party official, issued a statement dismissing the reduction in US-South Korean drills as “not even worth commenting on” and “completely uninteresting.” “Reducing the scale or duration of the exercises does not change their fundamentally provocative and aggressive nature,” Kim Yo Jong said. She emphasized that the joint exercises are “still underway,” calling them “an unmistakable expression of hostility toward North Korea.” As for the communication between the North Korean and American leaders mentioned by President Trump, Kim Yo Jong clearly drew the line by saying she has “absolutely no knowledge of it.” She added, however, that “relations between the two leaders remain excellent,” saying this is “well known to the world and hardly surprising.” Her statement, issued just hours before the missile launch, effectively signaled that Pyongyang would not be swayed by US diplomatic gestures alone.

Analysts view the launch as a calculated act of defiance with multiple strategic objectives. The test occurred just before the shortened UFS exercises were scheduled to conclude, suggesting frustration that the drills were still ongoing despite the reduction. North Korea has previously used similar provocations during joint US-South Korean exercises, viewing them as preparation for invasion. Trump, who held an unprecedented series of summits with Kim in 2018 and 2019, has since referred to North Korea repeatedly as a “nuclear power,” although his administration continues to call for denuclearisation. Trump told reporters on Wednesday that North Korea possesses 57 “very powerful” nuclear weapons, a specific figure he has cited for the first time regarding the North’s nuclear stockpile. South Korean estimates put the country’s nuclear arsenal at between 80 and 120 weapons. Trump’s renewed engagement with Kim has raised concerns among some US allies in Asia and sparked speculation that he may be seeking a diplomatic breakthrough as efforts to resolve the Iran conflict encounter difficulties.

South Korea’s presidential office convened an emergency national security meeting immediately following the launch, condemning the act as a grave violation of UN Security Council resolutions. The office stressed the need to maintain a “thorough readiness posture” and urged Pyongyang to halt such provocations. South Korean, US, and Japanese authorities are sharing intelligence and maintaining heightened readiness, with the South Korean military emphasizing its ability to “overwhelmingly respond to any provocation.” The United States currently maintains approximately 28,500 troops in South Korea, a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War that ended with an armistice rather than a formal peace agreement. South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back said Seoul remained opposed to officially recognising the North as a nuclear-weapon state. Asked whether Washington had “given up” on North Korea’s denuclearisation, Ahn said he did not believe so. President Lee Jae Myung, who has advocated stronger domestic defence capabilities to lessen Seoul’s dependence on Washington, said he would “do his utmost” to support Trump’s peacemaking efforts with the North.

North Korea Fires 10+ Missiles Hours After Trump Signals Fresh Kim Summit

International

Ecuador Intelligence Chief, 5 Americans Killed in Kenya Helicopter Crash

Published

2 days ago

August 20, 2026

Trends Admin

Ecuador Intelligence Chief, 5 Americans Killed in Kenya Helicopter Crash

A tourist helicopter crash in Kenya’s Samburu County on Wednesday claimed the lives of all seven people on board, including Ecuador’s intelligence chief Michele Sensi-Contugi, his wife, and five American citizens, in a tragic incident that has sent shockwaves through diplomatic and tourism circles. The Eurocopter EC130 B4 aircraft crashed near Mount Ololokwe at approximately 9:13 am local time (06:13 GMT) while on a scenic flight from the Loisaba wildlife conservancy to the Ewaso Nyiro river, with the helicopter carrying guests from the luxury tour agency &Beyond and operated by Lady Lori Helicopters, as Kenya’s Transport Ministry has launched an investigation into the cause of the crash.

Michele Sensi-Contugi, 44, was the Director General of Ecuador’s Strategic Intelligence Center, appointed to the role in 2024, and he was a close associate of Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa, having previously served as Minister of the Interior, while his wife, Stephany Hollihan, 42, an American fashion designer and founder of Sensi Studio, was also among the deceased. The five American victims have been partially identified, with José Alberto Suárez, 55, confirmed as an executive with the Spanish-language television company Telemundo, serving as president and general manager of multiple Telemundo-owned stations in Florida, and NBCUniversal described Suárez as a deeply respected leader and beloved friend and colleague, while Miami restaurateur Roger Duarte was also confirmed among the American victims, though the remaining American victims have not yet been publicly identified, and the pilot was a Kenyan national.

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The US State Department confirmed the deaths of five American citizens, stating that the US Embassy is in touch with local authorities and is providing consular assistance while extending deepest condolences to the families and loved ones on their loss, as Ecuador’s presidential office also expressed condolences, with the government saying the death of Sensi-Contugi represents a great loss for the country. The Kenya Red Cross reported that search and recovery efforts were hampered by difficult terrain and an active fire at the crash site, with an additional team dispatched from Isiolo to reinforce operations, while Samburu County Police Commander David Nkoroi confirmed all seven people on board had died, as the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigations Department lead investigations into the circumstances surrounding the crash.