News Americas, WASHINGTON, DC, Fri. Mar. 1, 2019: There is no denying Legal Permanent residency and the ‘Green Card’ is becoming harder and harder to obtain in the US under the current administration. But some lucky Caribbean nationals were able to become green card holders last year. Here are the Top 10 nations with the most Green Card beneficiaries according to latest DHS data accessed by News Americas.

1: Cuba – 42,145

2: The Dominican Republic – 25,871

3: Haiti – 10,358

4: Jamaica – 9,771

5: Guyana – 2,392

6: Trinidad and Tobago – 1,380

7: The Bahamas – 377

8: St. Lucia – 365

9: Belize – 329

10: Dominica – 218.

Globally, approximately 264,000 immigrants obtained lawful permanent resident (LPR) status in the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2018 and 278,000 in the second quarter. Fifty-three percent of LPR admissions adjusted status while within the United States, and 47 percent entered as new arrivals in the first two quarters of FY 18.

New arrivals decreased from 291,000  in the first two quarters of FY 17 to 254,000 in the first two quarters of FY 18, representing a 13 percent decrease. LPRs adjusting status increased from 271,000 to 288,000 over the same period of time, representing a six percent increase. About 45 percent of new LPRs in the first two quarters of FY 18 obtained status as immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, and an additional 18 percent obtained status under a family preference category.