On Friday, a federal judge in Rhode Island nullified several immigration policies established during the Trump administration. These measures had stopped asylum grants and interrupted immigration benefits for individuals from 39 countries.
Judge John J. McConnell Jr., in his detailed 135-page opinion, criticized these policies for halting the lives of many immigrants based solely on their nationality. He argued the actions had denied eligible asylum seekers access to the immigration system and had barred others from obtaining temporary work permits.
The policies affected people whose asylum applications were globally held by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (U.S.C.I.S.). Decisions on immigration applications were stalled for people from the countries impacted by the president’s travel ban, mainly from Africa and the Middle East. These delays hindered their ability to secure green cards and other immigration benefits.
Lawful permanent residents, who have lived in the U.S. legally for years, faced challenges as their citizenship applications were delayed due to halted naturalization decisions.
This court decision represents a significant setback for the Trump administration’s efforts to not only curb illegal immigration but also tighten legal immigration, pushing noncitizens with legal standing to exit the U.S. The ruling mandates the government to restore the usual application adjudication process, addressing over a million pending applications.
James Percival, the general counsel for the Homeland Security Department, criticized the ruling, attributing it to “sabotage dressed in legal clothing” from “the left.”