The Trump administration quietly halted the processing of green card applications filed by some refugees and asylees, according to records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request by the American Immigration Council.
The pause began March 21, 2025, and lasted about two weeks, but USCIS did not publicly announce the suspension or explain its scope, the Council reported. Internal documents showed field offices were instructed to hold "all" asylee and refugee Form I-485 adjudications, though later records suggested the review was more targeted, detailed the report.
The FOIA records showed USCIS had 115,454 pending green card applications from asylees and refugees as of March 26, 2025. A spreadsheet circulated by the agency later identified more than 18,000 applications subject to the hold.
The suspension appeared tied to additional vetting of some applicants, including refugees from countries in turmoil, like Ecuador, Venezuela, El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala, amid concerns about possible gang affiliations. USCIS lifted the broader suspension on April 10, 2025, but records showed 467 applications remained frozen days later over "public safety concerns."
The American Immigration Lawyers Association also said documents produced in litigation included a March 21 email announcing a temporary hold on "all" asylee/refugee I-485 adjudication and an April 10 email lifting the pause.
The findings are significant because refugees and asylees are generally eligible to apply for permanent residence after one year in the United States. Advocates argue that unexplained processing freezes leave vulnerable immigrants in legal limbo and create uncertainty for families who have already passed prior screening.
The revelation adds to broader scrutiny of the administration's immigration processing policies, including later USCIS guidance placing holds on certain applications from "high-risk" countries.
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