In December 2025, USCIS placed immigration benefit applications from nationals of 19 designated “high-risk” countries on hold. The policy affected cases such as Green Card applications, naturalization requests, asylum matters, and other immigration benefits. The restrictions were later expanded to additional countries.
However, the legal landscape has changed significantly.
In June 2026, a federal court in Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island v. USCIS vacated the USCIS policies responsible for those processing holds. USCIS subsequently confirmed that Policy Memoranda PM-602-0192, PM-602-0194, and related guidance should be treated as no longer in effect agency-wide.
Does USCIS still have cases from these countries on hold?
The blanket processing policies challenged in Dorcas are currently vacated.
That means USCIS cannot rely on those policies alone to indefinitely freeze Green Card, citizenship, employment authorization, asylum, or other covered benefit applications. Cases still need to meet all normal eligibility, admissibility, security, and evidentiary requirements.
The federal government has appealed the decision, so the litigation is still developing. However, USCIS’s published guidance continues to recognize the court-ordered vacatur.
Travel and visa restrictions are different
The court ruling did not eliminate the Trump administration’s separate travel and visa restrictions.
Presidential Proclamation 10998, effective January 1, 2026, expanded full or partial entry and visa issuance restrictions to nationals of 39 countries, as well as certain travelers using Palestinian Authority-issued or endorsed documents.
Depending on the country, restrictions may affect immigrant visas, B1/B2 visitor visas, F, M or J visas, or other categories.
There are also limited exceptions, including certain lawful permanent residents, qualifying dual nationals, diplomatic travelers, and some national-interest cases.
For this reason, someone with a pending USCIS application inside the United States may face a very different situation from someone applying for a visa abroad.
What should affected applicants do now?
If your case was delayed under the previous USCIS hold, review its current status rather than assuming the original suspension still applies.
Before filing a new application or traveling internationally, consider:
- whether your case is before USCIS or a U.S. consulate;
- your current immigration status;
- whether a Presidential Proclamation applies to your nationality;
- whether an exception may apply;
- any pending Green Card or naturalization application; and
- the consequences of leaving the United States while a case is pending.
Immigration restrictions in this area have changed several times since the original December 2025 announcement. The right strategy now depends much more on the person’s specific case than on nationality alone.
If your Green Card, citizenship, visa, or other immigration process was affected by these policies, Loigica can review the current status of your case and the legal options available before you make your next move.
Disclaimer
This article provides general information about current U.S. immigration policies and related litigation. It does not provide legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship. Court decisions, Presidential Proclamations, USCIS policies, visa restrictions, and agency practices may change. Each case should be reviewed based on its specific facts.
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