Washington: The Trump administration sought to reassure immigrants and employers over a recent green card policy change, saying it will not prevent qualified applicants from obtaining permanent residency in the US, media reports said Saturday.

According to Anadolu Agency, the clarification came after concerns that new guidance issued by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) could force hundreds of thousands of green card applicants to leave the country and complete their cases at US consulates abroad. The earlier guidance appeared to narrow the use of a process known as 'adjustment of status,' which allows certain immigrants sponsored by relatives or employers to remain in the United States while pursuing permanent residency.

Following criticism from immigration lawyers, business groups, and immigrant advocates, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) emphasized that the guidance merely restates 'longstanding law and policy.' The DHS assured that 'the policy will not prevent any alien from obtaining a green card who legitimately and properly qualify.'

The department further stated that the change 'will have no noticeable impact on highly qualified applicants and skilled professionals who have followed the law.' Despite this reassurance, former USCIS chief counsel Lynden Melmed pointed out that the administration's explanation seems to narrow the scope of the original guidance.

Melmed noted that the policy is likely to create additional burdens for applicants and attorneys by requiring more evidence to justify completing the process within the United States. 'The underlying policy will still slow legal immigration but at least they are toning down the rhetoric,' Melmed remarked.

The policy shift seems to be part of the Trump administration's efforts to both crack down on illegal immigration as well as allow less legal immigration from many countries, largely in the Global South.