[ryan_j_naughton]

>From my understanding on this issue, spouses of US citizens are handed a green card after paperwork is shuffled, there is no pursuing it.

This is incorrect. You do need to pursue it. Just because your friends did pursue it once they were able to, doesn't mean it is automatic. One needs to decide if they want to get their green card or not once they are married to a US citizen.

[BobaFloutist]

And it costs thousands of dollars.

Which is (or was) a good deal, but hardly a formality.