USCIS Halts Immigration ‘Hold and Review’ Policies Following Federal Court Ruling

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said Friday it will immediately halt its “hold and review” policies for certain immigration applications after a federal court vacated the directives nationwide.

In a notice issued June 12, the agency said it “strongly disagrees” with the ruling but will comply, directing officers to treat the policies as no longer in effect. USCIS said updated guidance will be issued as the government considers a possible appeal.

The change follows a June 5 decision by the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island in Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island v. USCIS. The court struck down three agency directives — PM 602-0192, PM 602-0194 and PA 2025-26 — and entered final judgment June 11, triggering an immediate nationwide halt.

The lawsuit was filed by a coalition of nonprofit groups and labor unions representing applicants with pending immigration cases. Plaintiffs argued the policies caused unlawful delays, exceeded agency authority and discriminated based on country of origin.

The directives stem from a series of USCIS policy actions issued between late 2025 and early 2026 that imposed broad restrictions on applications from certain countries.

Policy Memorandum PM 602-0192, issued Dec. 2, 2025, required officers to place immediate administrative holds on all pending asylum applications and other immigration benefit requests filed by individuals from designated “high-risk” countries. The memo mandated case-by-case reviews for national security, public safety and identity verification concerns before cases could move forward.

A second directive, PM 602-0194, issued Jan. 1, 2026, expanded those restrictions to a wider group of countries following updated executive actions. It paused standard processing for applicants from dozens of nations — including Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Nigeria, Syria and Venezuela, as well as holders of Palestinian Authority travel documents — and introduced potential re-reviews and re-interviews for individuals who entered the United States on or after Jan. 20, 2021.

The policy included limited exemptions, allowing certain cases to proceed, such as some asylum-based work authorization applications, specific athletes and support staff tied to major international events, and cases deemed in the U.S. national interest.

A related Policy Alert, PA 2025-26, issued Nov. 27, 2025, provided guidance on how USCIS should apply the president’s authority under section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act following Presidential Proclamation 10949. The alert directed officers to treat country-specific conditions identified in the proclamation as significant negative factors when adjudicating discretionary immigration benefits, including adjustment of status and changes or extensions of nonimmigrant status.

The guidance applied to applicants from 19 countries — including Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Venezuela and Yemen — and cited concerns such as limited vetting and screening information. It also clarified that the updated policy manual guidance would govern pending and newly filed cases.

The now-vacated rules were tied to Presidential Proclamations 10949, issued June 4, 2025, and 10998, issued Dec. 16, 2025. The administration said the measures were needed to strengthen background checks and address national security concerns.

With the ruling now in effect, USCIS officers are barred from using country-based holds to delay cases. Pending applications are expected to return to regular processing, though delays are possible as the agency implements new guidance.