Adjustment of Status Goes Consular: How the May 21 USCIS Memo Will Reshape Immigration Firm Cash Flow, Retainers, and Workflows in 2026

USCIS's May 21, 2026 memo reclassifies adjustment of status as 'extraordinary' relief — pushing most green card applicants back to consular processing. The operational fallout for immigration firms is less about policy and more about cash flow, retainer structures, and matter lifecycle workflows.