Green Card Approval Rates Fall in Q3 FY2026, Cuban Cases Drop Most Green card approval rates fell across family-based, employment-based and Cuban adjustment cases in the third quarter of fiscal year 2026, with Cuban applicants seeing the steepest decline. Green card approval rates fell in three major categories during the third quarter of fiscal year 2026, with Cuban applicants recording the steepest decline, according to federal data released by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The data cover April through June and track adjustment-of-status applications that were decided. The overall approval rate for decided green card applications dropped by 2.6 percentage points from the second quarter to the third. USCIS Data Shows Broad DeclinesApproval rates among decided adjustment-of-status applications fell from the previous quarter in three categories. Family-based cases declined by 4.2 percentage points. Employment-based cases slipped by 0.9 points. Cuban cases plunged by 28.9 points.Two categories moved in the opposite direction. Asylum-based cases rose by 0.8 percentage points. Refugee-based cases increased by 3.5 points.USCIS administers legal immigration benefits, including applications for lawful permanent residence. The agency is part of the federal immigration system that processes green card requests.Cuban Adjustment Cases Fall SharplyThe decline among Cuban applicants was the most dramatic. Of 586 Cuban adjustment decided cases in the third quarter, 139 were approved and 447 were denied. That produced an approval rate of 23.7 percent.In the January-to-March quarter, 50 cases were approved and 45 were denied. The approval rate then was 52.6 percent. The quarterly comparison shows a drop of 28.9 percentage points.Cuban receipts also fell sharply. The number of applications received declined from 15,312 to 6,279 between the second and third quarters.The Trump administration has increased scrutiny across the immigration system. Officials describe the effort as aimed at rooting out fraud and abuse. The push has raised concerns about growing obstacles immigrants face in obtaining permanent residency.Family and Employment Caseloads DivergeUSCIS recorded 54,678 family-based approvals and 12,240 denials from April through June. In the previous quarter, there were 71,514 approvals and 11,689 denials.Among family-based applications for permanent residence that were either approved or denied, the approval rate fell to 81.7 percent. That was down from 86 percent in the second quarter of fiscal year 2026.Employment-based adjudications were steadier. There were 42,076 approvals and 3,160 denials in the third quarter. The second quarter had 41,979 approvals and 2,717 denials.The employment-based approval rate edged down to 93 percent from 93.9 percent. The modest change reflected a much smaller shift than the one seen in family-based cases.Receipts Shift Between CategoriesApplications received shifted sharply in some categories. Family-based receipts fell from 127,189 to 95,175. Employment-based receipts more than doubled, rising from 47,514 to 97,501.Asylum-based adjustment cases saw a slight increase in approvals. The rate rose to 88.9 percent from 88.1 percent.Refugee-based cases also improved. The approval rate increased to 69.6 percent from 66.1 percent.The data provide a quarter-by-quarter snapshot of how different green card pathways are faring as the administration tightens immigration reviews. The figures cover decided cases, meaning applications still pending are not reflected in the rates.This is a developing story, and more information is expected to follow.