On May 22, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) dropped a policy change that has sent shockwaves through immigrant communities across America and around the world.

The bottom line? Most immigrants on temporary visas who want a green card must now leave the United States and apply from their home country.

Here is everything you need to know right now.

1. What Actually Changed

The old way: For decades, eligible immigrants already inside the United States could apply for a green card through a process called Adjustment of Status (AOS) under Section 245A of the Immigration Nationality Act. They did not have to leave the country.

The new way: USCIS has instructed its officers to treat Adjustment of Status as “an extraordinary form of relief” rather than a standard option. In practical terms, most immigrants on temporary visas must now return to their home country and complete their immigrant visa process at a U.S. consulate or embassy abroad.

Why it matters: This shifts the burden from USCIS offices inside the U.S. to consulates overseas—many of which already have massive backlogs.

“In practical terms, the Trump administration is telling immigration officers that many people who enter the U.S. on temporary visas should leave the United States to complete their immigrant visa process abroad.”
— Akua Poku, immigration attorney, AK Poku Law

2. Who Is Affected

The policy applies to most immigrants who are in the United States on temporary (non-immigrant) visas, including:

Visa Type	Description
B-1 / B-2	Business or tourist visitors
F-1	International students
J-1	Exchange visitors (scholars, trainees, etc.)
H-1B	Specialty occupation workers
L-1	Intra-company transferees
O-1	Individuals with extraordinary ability
TN	Canadian and Mexican professionals under USMCA

Who may be exempt: The policy carves out an undefined category called “extraordinary circumstances.” No one yet knows what that means.

Who is NOT affected: Immigrants who already have a green card, U.S. citizens, and certain categories like asylum seekers or victims of crime (U visa or T visa applicants) may see different treatment—though USCIS says the policy will free up resources for those cases.

3. What ‘Extraordinary Circumstances’ Might Mean (Nobody Knows Yet)

USCIS has not defined this phrase. That is a major problem for immigrants and their lawyers.

Speculation among immigration attorneys includes:

• Serious medical conditions that prevent international travel
• Extreme hardship to a U.S. citizen spouse or child
• National security or public safety concerns
• Humanitarian emergencies

What it does NOT include (likely): Wanting to keep your job, avoiding consular backlogs, or not wanting to leave your children.

“The policy does not define what qualifies as extraordinary circumstances.”
— USCIS announcement, May 22, 2026

Bottom line: Do not assume you qualify. Assume you will have to leave unless a qualified immigration attorney tells you otherwise.

4. Why the Administration Says This Is Happening

USCIS Director Joseph Edlo stated that the Trump administration wants to restore what he calls “a clear divide between temporary visas and permanent immigration.”

The agency has also offered a resource-allocation justification:

USCIS spokesman Zach Koehler said the new policy “will allow USCIS to focus more resources on other case types, including:

• Naturalization applications
• Visas for victims of violent crime (U visas)
• Other agency priorities

Critics say: This simply shifts the workload to overburdened U.S. consulates abroad, creating longer waits and more uncertainty, not efficiency.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by AKua Poku | AK Poku Law | US Immigration Attorney (@american.immigration.lawyer)

5. What This Means for Families

This is where policy meets human lives.

Consider these scenarios:

Scenario	Consequence
An F-1 student who graduated and got a job offer	Must leave the U.S., return to their home country, and apply for a green card from there—possibly losing the job offer.
A spouse of a U.S. citizen on a tourist visa	Must leave the U.S. and apply from their home country, separating from their spouse for months or years.
A temporary worker with U.S.-citizen children	Must choose between leaving their children or abandoning their green card application.
Someone with a medical condition or elderly parent abroad	May not qualify for “extraordinary circumstances” at all.

The core question: Can you leave? Can you afford to be away? Can your family survive without you? Will your job wait?

For many, the answer to one or more of these questions is no.

6. The Legal Landscape: Expect Challenges

Here is what has not changed: The law itself.

Section 245A of the Immigration Nationality Act still exists. It still says that eligible immigrants inside the United States may apply for Adjustment of Status without leaving.

What changed: USCIS guidance interpreting that law.

Why that matters: Agency guidance can be challenged in court. Immigration attorneys and advocacy groups are almost certain to file lawsuits arguing that USCIS has overstepped its authority by effectively nullifying a statutory pathway.

What to watch for:

• Emergency injunctions asking courts to block the policy
• Congressional oversight hearings
• Potential reinterpretation or rollback if administration changes

But be warned: Legal challenges take time—often years. Do not assume a future court victory protects you today.

7. What You Should Do Right Now (Practical Steps)

If you are in the United States on a temporary visa and were planning to apply for a green card through Adjustment of Status, here is a checklist:

Step 1: Do NOT assume you are grandfathered in

The guidance applies immediately to new applications. For pending applications, speak to an attorney.

Step 2: Consult a qualified U.S. immigration attorney immediately

Do not rely on social media advice. This is a high-stakes situation.

Step 3: Document everything

If you believe you have “extraordinary circumstances,” start gathering medical records, hardship statements, and other evidence now.

Step 4: Consider your timeline

If you are close to filing, you may need to decide whether to attempt AOS (with high risk of denial) or prepare to leave.

Step 5: Prepare for consular processing

Assume you will need to apply from your home country. Check the backlog at your local U.S. embassy or consulate. Some have waits of 12–24 months or more.

Step 6: Do not make sudden travel plans without legal advice

Leaving the U.S. triggers its own risks, including possible bars to reentry if you have overstayed any visa or violated any terms.

Step 7: Stay informed

Follow USCIS announcements and reputable immigration news sources. This policy could be modified, clarified, or blocked at any time.

Final Takeaway

The new USCIS guidance has fundamentally shifted the ground beneath millions of immigrants in the United States. What was once a standard pathway—applying for a green card without leaving—is now an “extraordinary” exception.

Until courts weigh in or the administration provides clarity, most temporary visa holders who want permanent residency must plan to leave the country they now call home and apply from a distance.

For many, that means an impossible choice between family, career, and the American dream.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Immigration laws and policies change rapidly. Always consult with a qualified immigration attorney before making any decisions about your status.

In many homes across northern Ghana, the sight of freshly prepared Kapala resting in a calabash signals comfort, strength, and tradition all at once.

Simple in appearance yet deeply satisfying, these firm millet balls have nourished generations of farmers, traders, and families long before convenience foods became a global obsession.

Known locally as Kapala, the dish is made by carefully cooking millet and shaping it into compact balls with a smooth, slightly dense texture.

The flavour is mild, earthy, and naturally nutty, allowing it to pair beautifully with rich soups, spicy groundnut sauces, or fresh milk. Some people enjoy it warm in the morning for energy before a long day, while others eat it as a filling evening meal after work in the fields.

What makes Kapala special is not just its taste but its practicality. Farmers often carry it during long hours of labour because it keeps well, satisfies hunger for hours, and provides steady energy.

In many northern communities, it represents resilience and resourcefulness — a traditional food built around nutrition, simplicity, and local ingredients.

Visitors exploring Ghana’s northern regions will likely encounter Kapala in homes, roadside food spots, and local markets where traditional meals still dominate daily life. Eating it offers more than a culinary experience; it opens a window into the rhythms of rural Ghanaian living and the enduring importance of millet in local cuisine.

As global conversations increasingly turn toward healthy grains and sustainable eating, Kapala feels surprisingly modern.

Rich in fibre and nutrients, it proves that some of the world’s most nourishing foods have existed quietly for centuries in local communities that understood wholesome eating long before it became fashionable.

The road into Ghana’s Eastern Region rolls past thick green hills, roadside fruit stalls, and villages alive with colour.

Then comes the unmistakable sound: glass cracking softly beneath stone. In the bead-making communities around Krobo land, broken bottles are not waste. They are raw material for one of Ghana’s oldest artistic traditions.

Inside a warm clay workshop, women sort fragments of blue, green, amber, and clear glass into small bowls while smoke curls gently from nearby kilns.

A craftsman carefully fills handmade moulds with powdered glass before sliding them into a fire-blackened oven. Hours later, the pieces emerge transformed — shimmering beads streaked with colour, each one carrying centuries of cultural memory.

For the Krobo people of the Eastern Region, beads are far more than decoration. They mark birth, puberty, marriage, spirituality, and status.

During festivals and traditional ceremonies, layers of beads rest proudly around waists, wrists, and necks, turning the human body into a living archive of heritage.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Justine | Travel Content Creator 📍Ghana (@youadoremunchkn)

Walking Through Ghana’s Living Bead Culture

Visitors to bead-making centres such as Odumase-Krobo quickly realise the experience is wonderfully hands-on.

Travellers can watch every stage of production: crushing recycled glass into powder, painting intricate patterns with cassava-stem tools, firing the beads in clay kilns, and polishing the finished pieces by hand.

The atmosphere feels deeply personal rather than staged for tourists. Children weave through courtyards carrying trays of beads while elders explain the meanings behind colours and patterns. Bright reds may symbolise strength or spiritual energy; blues often evoke peace, harmony, and love.

Many tours allow guests to create their own beads, an experience that slows time in the best possible way.

Beyond the workshops, the Eastern Region offers plenty to explore — from the forest canopy walk at Aburi Botanical Gardens to mountain views around the Akuapem Ridge and lively local markets filled with handmade crafts and fresh palm wine.

Why the Journey Stays With You

Traditional bead making offers something many modern travel experiences struggle to provide: a genuine human connection.

Travellers do not simply observe culture here; they sit beside it, touch it, and carry part of it home.

Long after leaving the Eastern Region, many visitors remember the glow of kiln fires at dusk and the quiet patience behind every handcrafted bead — small objects carrying stories far older than the roads leading to them.