Federal Court Strikes Down the USCIS Processing Freeze

Beginning in December 2025, a series of USCIS policy memos placed holds on processing immigration benefits — asylum decisions, work permits, green cards, and travel documents — for nationals of roughly 39 countries covered by the expanded travel restrictions. Unlike the entry bans, these holds hit people who were already inside the United States with pending applications.

On June 5, 2026, a federal court struck down all four freeze policies in Dorcas International Institute v. USCIS. As of July 2026 the holds remain lifted, and courts have refused to let the government reinstate them while it appeals. USCIS must process and decide the delayed green card, work permit, naturalization, and asylum applications.

If your case was frozen, it should now be moving again. Check your case status through your USCIS online account, make sure your address is current, and file an inquiry if your case is outside normal processing times. If your work permit expired during the freeze, file the renewal — a timely renewal in an eligible category can extend your authorization automatically.

This remains an active appeal, and a separate round of processing delays tied to expanded background checks began in April 2026. Verify the current situation with a legal organization before making decisions that depend on your case moving.