Congressional Democrats have sent a letter to USCIS Director Joseph Edlow demanding the administration reverse a recent policy that would require green‑card applicants to file their applications from outside the United States. The missive, signed by Senate Whip Dick Durbin, Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Alex Padilla and a slate of House members, points to USCIS memorandum PM‑602‑0199 issued on May 21, 2026. That guidance labels adjustment of status as an “extraordinary form of relief” and creates a preference for consular processing, a shift the lawmakers say lacks any statutory foundation and overturns decades of precedent.
The legislators argue that Congress has long favored allowing eligible non‑citizens to adjust status while remaining in the country, citing the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 and subsequent legislative history. They contend the new memo undermines the purposes of section 245, which was designed to promote family unity, administrative efficiency, and economic stability. In the letter, Democrats request that USCIS restore the traditional adjustment‑of‑status process, provide detailed information on the policy’s implementation, and rescind the memo.
A PDF of the full letter is available on the House website. The signatories include a broad coalition of Democrats and independents from both chambers, underscoring the bipartisan concern over the potential impact on immigration families and the broader immigration system.
