A federal judge has blocked key Trump administration immigration policies that froze green card, asylum and work permit decisions tied to the White House’s expanded travel ban. U.S. District Judge John McConnell, appointed by former Democratic President Barack Obama, ruled the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) directives adopted after the November 2025 National Guard shooting in Washington, D.C., were likely unlawful. If you represent clients from the 39 affected countries or work with asylum applicants, this decision immediately reshapes your filing strategy and client communication.
What changed
The policies had halted asylum adjudications and placed indefinite holds on immigration benefit applications for people from dozens of designated countries. McConnell said USCIS needs to restart application processing for all immigrants impacted by the pause, and the agency can no longer rely on the blanket policies. The judge also said officers cannot treat all individuals from particular countries as having an increased national security risk.
The 135-page ruling struck down four Trump administration policies, including a global asylum hold; a benefits hold on work permits, green cards, and naturalizations; a comprehensive review policy to look at already-decided cases and country-based restrictions on benefit processing.
Why it matters
The largest group affected by the ruling is nationals from the 39 countries currently subject to the Trump administration’s travel ban, intended to prevent new arrivals. USCIS was accused of taking this as a reason to stop processing applications from immigrants already in the U. S.—likely thousands of people. Other immigrants will also likely benefit, including asylum applicants, workers relying on employment authorization, green card applicants, and those applying for citizenship.
For practitioners, the immediate impact is that pending I-485 (green card), I-765 (work permit), and I-589 (asylum) applications for affected nationals are no longer legally suspended. The judge said that many of those affected by the pause had faced losing their jobs after their work permits expired, had been left without legal status, and had been separated from family members. This ruling restores your ability to move cases forward and removes the blanket country-based hold that previously blocked all benefit adjudication.
Way forward
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File status inquiries and congressional requests immediately. “To applicants affected by the pause, I would encourage them to put in congressional inquiries about their cases as the hold will not apply to them so long as this ruling stands,” Project Unpause, which fought against the USCIS policies, told Newsweek in a statement.
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Review pending I-485, I-765, and I-589 cases for affected countries. The blanket hold is lifted; USCIS must now adjudicate on individual merits without country-based discrimination.
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Monitor USCIS compliance. The agency may appeal or seek a stay of the decision. Verify the status of your client’s case on myUSCIS before relying on this ruling in client advice.
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Document the hold period for Form I-131 (advance parole), I-765 (work auth), and I-539 (family extensions). Clients may have evidence of delay caused by the unlawful freeze for future motions or appeals.
Disclaimer
Fola Editorial is a technology company, not a law firm, and this article is not legal advice. Consult a licensed immigration attorney before filing or relying on court rulings to advise your clients. Immigration policy can change without notice; verify the status of this ruling and current USCIS directives against the primary source and official agency guidance before making filing decisions.