A federal judge has halted significant Trump administration immigration directives that affected green card, asylum, and work permit decisions linked to the wider travel ban implemented by the White House. U.S. District Judge John McConnell, appointed by former President Barack Obama, determined that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) directives, set after the November 2015 National Guard incident in Washington, D.C., were likely unlawful. These policies had suspended asylum evaluations and indefinitely delayed immigration benefit applications for people from numerous designated countries.
The Court’s View
The Rhode Island judge expressed, “In ruling on these motions, the Court is reminded of a line often repeated in discussions around immigration policy: If people wish to immigrate to the United States, they ought to ‘follow the law’ and ‘do things the right way.’ This case serves as a perfect example of immigrants doing just that.”
The judge further stated, “Indeed, the agency has violated the very immigration laws that Congress has charged it with administering, as well as the administrative laws that govern the agency’s actions.”
Legal Setback for Administration
This ruling represents a legal setback for the administration’s intent to extend travel restrictions into the processing of applications for existing U.S. residents, including those seeking green cards. James Percival, the Department of Homeland Security’s General Council, commented to Newsweek, condemning the allegations as politically motivated.
Judge’s Ruling Details
The judge’s ruling outlined that USCIS’s pause on processing cases from the 39 impacted countries was illegal, stating that USCIS:
- Lacked statutory authority to pause adjudications.
- Failed to justify its actions with evidence.
- Ignored applicants’ reliance on the system.
- Used reasoning that appeared pretextual without genuine national security justifications.
The 135-page ruling voided four Trump administration policies, including a global asylum hold, a benefits hold on work permits, green cards, and naturalizations, the comprehensive review policy of previously decided cases, and the country-specific ban requiring officers to treat certain nationalities as riskier.
Response from Advocacy Groups
“Today is a good day,” said Milagro Sique, CEO of Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island, expressing gratitude for the ruling in a press release. “These policies were wrong, plain and simple, and led to needless and profound fear and uncertainty for so many of our friends, neighbors, and coworkers.” Sique emphasized that the judicial process working as intended offers reassurance and helps those impacted move forward meaningfully.
Impact and Future Actions
The largest group affected by the ruling includes nationals from the 39 countries under the Trump administration’s travel ban, which intended to bar new arrivals. USCIS was accused of using this restriction to halt application processing for immigrants already in the U.S., likely affecting thousands.
Other immigrants potentially benefiting include asylum seekers, workers relying on employment authorization, green card applicants, and those pursuing citizenship. The judge highlighted that many affected by the pause faced job losses due to expired work permits, lacked legal status, and experienced family separations.
Judge McConnell directed USCIS to resume processing applications for all immigrants impacted by the pause, stating that the agency must not rely on blanket policies that increase perceived national security risk based on nationality. The ruling ensures that applicants’ cases will be processed but does not guarantee specific outcomes.