U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) quietly resumed adjudicating a large share of affirmative asylum cases on Monday evening, ending a four-month freeze that had stalled roughly four million applications. The pause was imposed in late November 2025 after an Afghan national shot two D.C. National Guard members, prompting the Trump administration to order a top-to-bottom security review of every pending immigration benefit. Under the revised guidance announced on March 30, 2026, officers may again issue decisions for applicants from “non-high-risk” countries that clear enhanced vetting—including cross-checks against social-media, criminal and State-Department consular databases. Adjudications remain on hold for about 40 nations—predominantly in Africa and the Middle East—still subject to separate travel-ban restrictions.
![USCIS lifts blanket pause on most asylum applications but maintains ‘high-risk’ freeze]()
VisaHQ can assist employers, humanitarian applicants, and their attorneys in navigating these shifting U.S. immigration rules by streamlining document preparation, tracking Employment Authorization Document renewals, and ensuring filings meet the latest USCIS requirements; learn more at https://www.visahq.com/united-states/
For employers, the thaw matters because many foreign workers pursue asylum after their temporary status expires; a decision unlocks eligibility for green-card processing and ultimately unrestricted employment. Global mobility professionals should brace for a surge of Employment Authorization Document (EAD) filings from applicants whose cases now move forward. At the same time, new USCIS rules trim EAD validity from five years to 18 months and require additional biometrics—steps that could lengthen processing times and complicate I-9 compliance. Advocacy groups welcomed the partial reopening but warned that re-review provisions could still see previously approved refugee or asylum cases referred to ICE for possible removal. Companies employing humanitarian parolees or refugee-based hires should therefore audit their workforce to ensure ongoing work-authorization validity and prepare for sudden status changes. USCIS did not publish a target timeline for clearing the backlog but said the agency will "allocate resources commensurate with national-security priorities." Observers expect the first approvals to trickle out within weeks, offering relief to thousands awaiting the chance to file family-reunification petitions and travel documents.
VisaHQ can assist employers, humanitarian applicants, and their attorneys in navigating these shifting U.S. immigration rules by streamlining document preparation, tracking Employment Authorization Document renewals, and ensuring filings meet the latest USCIS requirements; learn more at https://www.visahq.com/united-states/
For employers, the thaw matters because many foreign workers pursue asylum after their temporary status expires; a decision unlocks eligibility for green-card processing and ultimately unrestricted employment. Global mobility professionals should brace for a surge of Employment Authorization Document (EAD) filings from applicants whose cases now move forward. At the same time, new USCIS rules trim EAD validity from five years to 18 months and require additional biometrics—steps that could lengthen processing times and complicate I-9 compliance. Advocacy groups welcomed the partial reopening but warned that re-review provisions could still see previously approved refugee or asylum cases referred to ICE for possible removal. Companies employing humanitarian parolees or refugee-based hires should therefore audit their workforce to ensure ongoing work-authorization validity and prepare for sudden status changes. USCIS did not publish a target timeline for clearing the backlog but said the agency will "allocate resources commensurate with national-security priorities." Observers expect the first approvals to trickle out within weeks, offering relief to thousands awaiting the chance to file family-reunification petitions and travel documents.
