Green Card Change Leaves Thousands of Pastors in Limbo

Albert Oliveira was excited. He had come to the US from Brazil in 2010 on a student visa, graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, began pastoring a growing church, married, and started a family. ...In the middle of their application journey in April, the US government unexpectedly changed the rules and effectively added years to their wait. The R1 nonimmigrant religious worker visas he and his wife hold will expire before they can even apply for green cards under the new process.