The green card application process has become more confusing in recent weeks.

In May, the Trump administration sent out a memo saying applicants inside the U.S. would need to leave the country and apply from their home country. 

The change could have affected tens of thousands of Washington residents, some of whom have waited years to complete the last step to become a U.S. citizen.

But then, the week following that announcement – the Trump administration appeared to partially walk back the change.

The back-to-back announcements panicked many hoping to get their green cards. A lot of unanswered questions remain, so Soundside spoke with a Seattle immigration attorney about how she's working through this moment. 


Guest

Tahmina Watson, founding immigration lawyer with Watson Immigration Law

Related Links

Actually, Most Immigrants Won’t Need to Leave U.S. to Get Green Cards, D.H.S. Says - The New York Times

Stephen Miller’s New Attack on Green-Card Applicants Is Simply a Scare Tactic - Slate

What Trump’s dramatic green card announcement means for WA - The Seattle Times

'Confusion and uncertainty.' Washington green card hopefuls react to new policy hurdle - KUOW

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

The green card application process has become more confusing in recent weeks. In May, the Trump administration sent out a memo saying applicants inside the U.S. would need to leave the country and apply from their home country.&nbsp;
The change could have affected tens of thousands of Washington residents, some of whom have waited years to complete the last step to become a U.S. citizen.
But then, the week following that announcement &ndash; the Trump administration appeared to partially walk back the change. The back-to-back announcements panicked many hoping to get their green cards. A lot of unanswered questions remain, so Soundside spoke with a Seattle immigration attorney about how she's working through this moment.&nbsp;
 Guest 
<ul>
<li>Tahmina Watson, founding immigration lawyer with Watson Immigration Law</li>
</ul>
Related Links <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/29/us/politics/green-cards-dhs.html">Actually, Most Immigrants Won&rsquo;t Need to Leave U.S. to Get Green Cards, D.H.S. Says</a> - The New York Times
<a href="https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2026/06/stephen-miller-green-card-application-process-fail.html">Stephen Miller&rsquo;s New Attack on Green-Card Applicants Is Simply a Scare Tactic</a> - Slate <a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/what-trumps-dramatic-green-card-announcement-means-for-wa/">What Trump&rsquo;s dramatic green card announcement means for WA</a> - The Seattle Times <a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/washington-green-card-hopefuls-face-new-questions-about-legal-status">'Confusion and uncertainty.' Washington green card hopefuls react to new policy hurdle</a> - KUOW Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to <a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>
Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Soundside

Back-to-back announcements from DHS have caused confusion and worry for some green card applicants in Washington.