DHS Green Card Memo Rattles 171,200 Filipino Nurses as Guidance Remains Unclear
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 8
DHS Green Card Memo Rattles 171,200 Filipino Nurses as Guidance Remains Unclear
1 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 8
Summary
A DHS memo suggesting migrants may need to leave the US to apply for green cards triggered immediate confusion among Filipino caregivers, and lawyers are telling some workers to pause applications despite an apparent walk-back.
No updated public guidance has been issued, immigration lawyers say, leaving workers unsure whether they can safely pursue permanent residency under shifting Trump-era enforcement.
Filipino migrants say that uncertainty is worsening exploitation risks in care jobs, where employers can use immigration threats to silence complaints; one worker described months without a day off and sleeping in a storage room.
Nearly 1 in 5 US healthcare workers are immigrants, including about 171,200 Filipino immigrant nurses, so advocates warn the fallout could hit both migrant families and the elderly and disabled Americans they care for.
The anxiety comes amid a broader ICE detention surge under Trump's mass-deportation campaign, with Migrante USA also pressing for the release of a 39-year-old Filipino green card holder detained in Alaska.
As US healthcare leans on Filipino caregivers, is immigration policy pushing them into the shadows?
While Manila touts new protections, why do its migrant 'heroes' still face exploitation abroad?
Policy Memo PM-602-0199: How the 2026 USCIS Adjustment of Status Shift Threatens 150,000 Filipino Nurses and U.S. Healthcare
Overview
In May 2026, DHS and USCIS issued policy memorandum PM-602-0199, which quickly changed key immigration rules and created widespread uncertainty. The policy was introduced without the usual notice-and-comment process, raising legal and transparency concerns. Experts expect legal challenges, as the lack of standard procedures makes the policy vulnerable in court. This sudden shift has left the immigration community and affected workers, especially Filipino nurses, anxious and confused. The situation remains unclear, with many waiting to see if courts or USCIS will clarify or change the policy, highlighting the urgent need for clear guidance and fair procedures.