A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration is violating immigration law by refusing to process cases for people from 39 countries on the president’s travel ban list. In a 135-page ruling, Judge John J. McConnell Jr. ordered US Citizenship and Immigration Services to resume processing asylum and immigration applications that had been frozen, saying the policies left many immigrants in “indeterminate legal limbo.”
What changed
U.S. District Court Judge John McConnell Jr. declared the indefinite pause unlawful, finding that the agency overseeing legal migration, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, didn’t have authority to unilaterally stop processing applications based on people’s country of origin. The measures challenged included a blanket hold on asylum cases before USCIS and a halt on applications from people in 39 countries covered by the administration’s travel ban, blocking green cards, citizenship, and work permits.
McConnell said USCIS “violated the very immigration laws that Congress has charged it with administering, as well as the administrative laws that govern the agency’s actions.” The judge said the immigrants had adhered to the legal processes that Congress had enacted and USCIS had adopted by regulation, yet had been “stuck waiting, for months on end, for benefit requests that USCIS refuses to adjudicate.”
Why it matters
This ruling directly affects hundreds or thousands of pending I-485 (adjustment of status), I-765 (employment authorization), I-131 (advance parole), N-400 (naturalization), and asylum cases—specifically those filed by nationals of the 39 banned countries. Practitioners with clients in administrative limbo for six months or longer can now file status updates, request case reviews, and prepare for adjudication. The ruling does not restore applications that were affirmatively denied under the freeze, but it blocks the agency from using national origin as a basis to refuse adjudication.
The decision is binding on USCIS in the jurisdiction, and provides persuasive authority nationwide. Attorneys representing affected applicants can cite this ruling in requests for urgent case processing and in responses to USCIS delay notices.
Way forward
- Review client files immediately. Identify all pending I-485, I-765, I-131, N-400, and asylum cases for nationals of the 39 travel-ban countries filed since the November 2025 freeze. Document the filing date and last USCIS action.
- File status inquiry letters. Attach a copy of the court order and request expedited adjudication; reference the applicant’s lawful compliance with filing requirements.
- Prepare substantive responses. If USCIS issues requests for evidence or notices of intent to deny, prioritize turnaround to capitalize on the agency’s renewed obligation to adjudicate.
- Track appeals and stayed removals. Confirm with immigration judges and DHS whether any related deportation cases have been paused pending USCIS adjudication; file joint status reports if applicable.
Disclaimer
Fola Editorial is a software company, not a law firm. This article is not legal advice. Immigration law and policy change without notice and are fact-intensive. Consult a licensed immigration attorney about your specific case. Verify all citations against the primary source linked above and check for any subsequent appeals or agency guidance before relying on this analysis.