USCIS Resumes Processing Pending Asylum Petitions After December Freeze

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has announced it will resume processing certain asylum applications that were frozen since December 2, according to reports from Bloomberg and CBS News. The agency had halted adjudication of all I-539 petitions following the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C. The freeze was sweeping in scope, applying to all pending cases without exception — regardless of when they were filed or their current stage in the review process. This left thousands of applicants in limbo for nearly four months with no movement on their cases. For EB-3 applicants and employment-based immigrants, this development is relevant primarily as a signal of broader USCIS operational capacity. Backlogs and freezes in one visa category can have downstream effects on agency resources and processing times across all categories. Applicants with pending I-539 petitions should monitor official USCIS communications for updates on when their specific cases will be reviewed. Those with questions about their case status are advised to check the USCIS online case status tool or consult with an immigration attorney.