Legal Updates USCIS Announces Pause on Benefits Adjudications for Individuals from 19 Countries
On Tuesday Dec. 2, 2025, USCIS released a policy memorandum titled “Hold and Review of all Pending Asylum Applications and all USCIS Benefit Applications Filed by Aliens from High-Risk Countries.” Under this memorandum and effective immediately, USCIS is suspending a range of pending immigration benefits applications, re-reviewing certain approved applications, and suspending the processing of all applications for asylum and withholding of removal for any applicant.
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