A quiet but extensive lobbying campaign by the tech and AI industries has allegedly forced the Trump administration to row back a sweeping new green card policy just days after it was announced.
On 21 May 2026, US Citizenship and Immigration Services issued policy memorandum PM-602-0199, which reframed the longstanding right to apply for a green card inside the United States as a form of 'extraordinary relief.' The following day, a USCIS spokesman announced that most temporary visa holders would need to return to their home countries to apply.