On May 22, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it would start approving I-485 Applications to Adjust Status (the “green card” or “permanent residence” application) only in “extraordinary circumstances.” This policy could affect any University of Washington student or employee who has applied or will apply for permanent residence inside the U.S.; however, other applications and petitions (e.g. , I-129 Petitions for Nonimmigrant Workers) should not be affected. USCIS has issued a policy memo discussing the change in more detail.
Because this policy is newly announced, it is unclear how it will be applied in individual cases, and fully understanding its scope and impact may take time. We encourage any UW student or employee with a pending I-485 application to consult with a private immigration attorney for guidance, with the understanding that those attorneys may also be awaiting further information.
ISO will continue to check our peer networks and other legal resources and provide further updates as we learn more. ISO advisors will reach out to faculty with in-process, UW-sponsored permanent residence cases for their awareness.
If you have questions about this issue as it relates to UW-sponsored permanent residence, please contact ISO.