Green Card Eligibility and the Impact of Policy Changes

Green Card Figures in 2025

The process of obtaining a U.S. green card is under scrutiny as the Trump administration seeks to restrict legal immigration. In fiscal year 2025, 350,120 individuals received green cards. Among them, 190,350 adjusted their status within the U.S. and 159,770 arrived from abroad according to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) data. This information, from quarter one of fiscal year 2025, spans October 1 to December 31, 2024, and is provided by the Office of Homeland Security Statistics. The data was collected during the Biden administration and offers a detailed view of how lawful permanent residency was granted by nationality and admission type. This period precedes significant policy changes expected to limit green card access.

Importance of Green Cards

The issue of green cards has gained attention as tighter immigration rules make it harder for some to gain permanent residency. In May, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced treating “adjustment of status” as an “extraordinary” measure, not a standard process. The policy aims to have temporary visa holders apply for status from outside the U.S., with exceptional domestic approvals only. This shift could affect many immigrants who usually remain in the country while awaiting application results.

Recipients of Green Cards

In 2025, Mexican nationals secured the most green cards with 40,790 grants. They were followed by nationals from Cuba (30,050), Afghanistan (18,330), China (17,150), and India (15,460). Other countries with high numbers included the Dominican Republic (14,500), the Philippines (10,250), El Salvador (10,050), Vietnam (9,170), and Pakistan (8,160).

Pathways to Green Cards

Family-based immigration remained the primary route to permanent residency. The largest category involved immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, with 139,560 approvals including spouses, parents, and children. Other significant paths were family-sponsored preferences (65,490 approvals), refugees (43,540), employment-based immigrants (41,940), and asylees (27,930). Within the family system, approvals for spouses of U.S. citizens reached 73,330, and 48,750 for parents.

Policy Changes Impacting Green Cards

The longstanding adjustment of status option used by 190,350 applicants in 2025 enabled in-country green card acquisition. The new USCIS policy restricts this pathway, advising most applicants to use consular processing abroad unless meeting stricter criteria. This could decrease domestic green card approvals and increase reliance on foreign visa processing.

Additional Administrative Measures

The Trump administration widened travel and visa restrictions, postponed some asylum and immigration benefits, and cut refugee admissions while intensifying vetting. Stricter green card scrutiny now includes enhanced background checks and detailed discretionary reviews.