Story highlights The new directive stems from Trump's executive order known as the travel ban

The new policies could affect roughly 180,000 people per year

Washington (CNN) Far more green card applicants will now be required to go through an interview, the Trump administration announced Monday. It's a step that could add a substantial slow-down to getting permanent residency in the US for immigrants.

While requiring all green card applicants to be interviewed is already provided for in the law, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in the past has waived the interview for broad categories of applicants, a move designed to marshal resources for higher-risk cases.

The new directive stems from Trump's executive order known as the travel ban, which put restrictions on who could enter the US, titled "Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States," according to USCIS. It is also designed to combat fraud, the agency said.

It is the latest effort by the Trump administration to crack down on illegal immigration and perceived abuse of the legal immigration system, a central focus of President Donald Trump since the campaign.

The new policy will go into effect on October 1. Under the directive, people applying for green cards based on their employment or for refugee and asylee relatives will be subject to an interview.

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