USCIS Lifts Asylum Adjudication Pause for Non-High-Risk Countries in 2026

The Trump administration announced it will lift the asylum adjudication pause at USCIS for applicants from countries not subject to travel restrictions, according to Department of Homeland Security officials. The pause was originally enacted in late November following the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., allegedly by an Afghan asylum recipient. The unprecedented freeze halted hundreds of thousands of immigration applications regardless of nationality. DHS confirmed in a statement that 'USCIS has lifted the adjudicative hold for thoroughly screened asylum seekers from non high-risk countries,' stating the move allows resources to focus on rigorous vetting for higher-risk cases. However, the freeze remains in place for nationals from 39 countries currently under full or partial entry restrictions under President Trump's travel ban proclamation, which was expanded in December. The countries affected by the continuing freeze include African nations such as Senegal, Somalia, and Nigeria; Asian countries including Afghanistan, Iran, and Laos; and Latin American nations like Cuba, Haiti, and Venezuela. Critically, the freeze applies not just to asylum cases but to all immigration applications from these nationals, including work permits, green cards, and citizenship requests. For EB-3 applicants, this development is significant. Those from travel ban-listed countries face continued delays across all benefit types, while applicants from other countries may see processing resume. The administration has framed these policies as necessary for national security vetting, while immigration advocates argue they unfairly penalize legal immigrants who are following established rules.