Many green card holders believe that once they have their permanent residency, their status is secure. It is not. A green card can be revoked, and in 2026 — with the most aggressive immigration enforcement environment in decades — more permanent residents are losing their status than at any other time in recent history.
Here are the seven situations that put your green card at risk, and what you can do about each one.
1. Spending Too Much Time Outside the United States
A green card grants you the right to live permanently in the United States. If you spend too much time abroad, USCIS and Customs and Border Protection can conclude that you have abandoned your US residency.
The rules:
- Absences of 6 months to 1 year trigger scrutiny. CBP officers can question you upon re-entry about whether you still maintain US residence.
- Absences of more than 1 year create a legal presumption that you have abandoned your residency. You will generally be refused entry and may have your green card confiscated.\
What to do: If you need to be outside the US for more than 6 months, file for a Re-entry Permit (Form I-131) before you leave. This can protect your residency for up to 2 years.
2. Certain Criminal Convictions
Not all crimes result in deportation, but many do. The categories that can lead to removal regardless of how long you have had your green card include:
- Aggravated felonies: This category in immigration law is broader than it sounds. It includes drug trafficking, fraud over $10,000, crimes of violence with a sentence of one year or more, and others.
- Crimes of moral turpitude: Theft, fraud, assault, and similar offenses committed within 5 years of receiving your green card, or two or more such crimes at any time.
- Drug offenses: Almost any drug conviction — including marijuana, which remains federally illegal — can make you deportable.
- Domestic violence convictions.
- Firearms offenses.
Critical point for 2026: The Laken Riley Act, signed in 2025, now requires mandatory detention of green card holders charged with certain crimes — including theft and assault — even before conviction. Being arrested, not just convicted, can trigger immigration detention.
What to do: If you have been arrested or charged with any crime, contact an immigration attorney immediately — before your criminal case is resolved. Criminal defense attorneys and immigration attorneys must work together on your case.
3. Fraud or Misrepresentation on Your Application
If USCIS discovers that you lied on your original green card application — about your identity, your criminal history, your marital status, or any material fact — your green card can be revoked at any time, no matter how many years ago you obtained it.
In 2026, USCIS significantly expanded its use of social media review and data cross-referencing to identify past misrepresentations.
What to do: If you are aware of any inaccuracy in your original application, speak with an immigration attorney confidentially before the government discovers it. In some cases, proactive disclosure is possible.
4. Failing to Notify USCIS of Address Changes
Green card holders are legally required to notify USCIS of any change of address within 10 days using Form AR-11. While this requirement is rarely enforced as a standalone violation, it can become a serious problem if important notices — including interview appointments or documents requiring a response — are sent to your old address and you do not respond.
Failure to respond to USCIS notices can result in your application being denied or your green card revoked in absentia.
5. Not Filing US Tax Returns
As a permanent resident, you are required to file US federal income taxes as a US tax resident, even on income earned abroad. Consistent failure to file can be used as evidence that you have abandoned your US residency — particularly when combined with extended time outside the country.
6. Being Identified as a Security Risk
Under current 2026 enforcement policies, the federal government has broadened its ability to revoke green cards from individuals it identifies as national security threats, based on ties to foreign governments, organizations, or activities deemed contrary to US interests.
This category has expanded significantly under Executive Order enforcement and has been applied to individuals with no prior criminal record. Green card holders from certain countries face heightened scrutiny.
7. Conditional Green Card — Failing to File Form I-751
If you received a green card based on a marriage that was less than 2 years old at the time of approval, you received a conditional green card valid for 2 years. You must file Form I-751 (Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence) within the 90-day window before that card expires.
If you miss this window, your green card automatically expires and you become deportable — even if the underlying marriage is completely genuine.
This is one of the most common and most preventable ways green card holders lose their status.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a green card be revoked after 10 or 20 years? Yes. There is no statute of limitations on revocation based on fraud or certain criminal convictions. However, long-term residency can be a mitigating factor considered by an immigration judge.
If I become deportable, am I automatically deported? No. You have the right to a hearing before an immigration judge. An immigration attorney can argue on your behalf for cancellation of removal, voluntary departure, or other forms of relief.
Does applying for citizenship protect me from deportation? No. You remain deportable until the moment you take the oath of citizenship. However, becoming a citizen eliminates most deportation risks.
If you have received a notice from USCIS or ICE, or if you are concerned about any of these situations, contact our office today. We offer consultations and we handle these cases every day.