Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, May 30: The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has clarified that most immigrants applying for permanent residency will not be required to leave the country while waiting for their green card applications to be processed, easing concerns triggered by a recent immigration announcement.

The clarification came after confusion surrounding a statement issued by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which appeared to indicate that applicants would generally have to return to their home countries and wait abroad unless they qualified for exceptional circumstances.

However, DHS has now stated that there has been no major policy change. According to the department, immigration officers have long possessed the authority to decide on a case-by-case basis whether an applicant should complete the green card process from outside the United States.

A DHS spokesperson said the recent guidance was merely intended to remind officers of their existing discretionary powers and should not be interpreted as a new blanket requirement for applicants to leave the country.

The department stressed that the vast majority of individuals seeking permanent residency will continue to be allowed to remain in the United States while their applications are under review.

Officials noted that certain factors, including visa overstays and other immigration-related concerns, could influence decisions in individual cases. However, DHS has not issued detailed guidelines specifying which applicants could be asked to leave during the process.

The clarification marks a significant departure from the impression created by last week's announcement, which had sparked anxiety among immigrant communities and immigration advocacy groups. Reports suggested that even some officials within the department were initially uncertain about the scope and implications of the guidance.

A senior White House official reportedly described the matter as a routine administrative clarification rather than a major shift in US immigration policy.

Despite the reassurance, some uncertainty remains as the government has yet to clearly define the circumstances under which applicants could be required to complete the green card process from outside the country.

For now, DHS has indicated that most green card applicants can expect to remain in the United States while awaiting a decision on their permanent residency applications.