A federal judge on Friday canceled a batch of President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, forcing the administration to begin processing immigration and asylum applications. Judge John J. McConnell Jr.’s 135-page decision said the decision to stop processing immigration applications from people from 39 countries “placed the lives of countless individuals on hold — solely by virtue of their countries of birth.” This ruling is a major shift for practitioners advising clients from affected countries who have been in processing limbo since last fall.
What changed
Last November, US Citizenship and Immigration Services indefinitely suspended asylum adjudications and froze immigration applications for people affected by a travel ban implemented after a man from Afghanistan allegedly shot two National Guard troops in Washington, DC. The policies in question include a global pause on asylum applications filed with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, a pause on decisions on immigration applications of people from the 39 countries in a travel ban, which prevented them from getting permanent residency status.
The decision from Judge McConnell Jr. in Rhode Island said Trump’s immigration policies enacted last fall had left immigrants in the United States in “indeterminate legal limbo” because of “anti-immigrant sentiments that it is forbidden from letting influence its decision-making.” The judge ordered the administration to resume processing of asylum grants and immigration benefit applications of people from 39 targeted countries.
Why it matters
This ruling immediately restarts work on thousands of frozen cases. Afghan allies reported that citizenship ceremonies were canceled, work permits expired while waiting for decisions, and green card applications stopped moving. Practitioners now have clear judicial authority to push USCIS to adjudicate pending I-485 (adjustment of status), N-400 (naturalization), and asylum cases for nationals of the 39 affected countries.
The decision is significant because it grounds the court’s order in constitutional and statutory limits on agency discretion — not merely policy disagreement. Practitioners can cite this ruling when advising clients on the unlawful nature of the policy and the likely timeline for case adjudication to resume.
Expect USCIS to either comply or file for emergency stay/appeal, which will signal whether the Trump administration intends to challenge the order further.
Way forward
- Check the USCIS.gov website and your case status for any updates on asylum processing restart or country-specific application reopenings. The ruling is effective immediately, but agency rollout may take weeks.
- Gather pending cases from the 39 affected countries (primarily: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Mauritius, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Somalia, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, Yemen, etc.). Prepare to submit follow-up requests or reminders to USCIS.
- Document client hardship during the freeze (expired work permits, missed milestones, missed citizenship ceremonies) for any future fee waiver requests or equitable tolling arguments.
- Verify the injunction’s scope against the published court order once it becomes publicly available on the federal court docket.
Disclaimer
This article is provided for informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. We are a software company, not a law firm. Always consult a licensed immigration attorney for advice specific to your situation. This ruling is subject to appeal, and policy can change without notice. Verify all information against the primary source linked above and check USCIS.gov for any official guidance on case resumption timelines.