Who has USCIS jurisdiction over regarding adjustment applications, even if in removal proceedings?

USCIS has jurisdiction over adjustment applications for "arriving aliens," even when they are in removal proceedings. This means that individuals classified as arriving aliens, which typically include those who have recently entered the United States and are seeking immigration benefits, can still apply for adjustment of status regardless of their legal situation.

This jurisdiction is significant because it provides a pathway for certain individuals to seek relief and adjust their immigration status without being fully barred by their ongoing removal proceedings. It reflects the agency’s broader mandate to provide avenues for legal residency within the confines of U.S. immigration law.

While other categories, such as petitioners or respondents, have specific roles in the immigration process, they do not specifically encompass the case of adjustment applications during removal proceedings in the same way that arriving aliens do. A derivative generally refers to someone who may benefit from another’s application but does not directly relate to the individual seeking adjustment in this context.