Visa Lawyer Blog
In the wake of a deadly shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has been instructed to pause all asylum decisions until further notice.
Asylum officers at USCIS, a branch of the Department of Homeland Security, have been told to refrain from approving, denying or closing affirmative asylum applications received by the agency.
The directive comes after authorities reported that the perpetrator of the shooting was an Afghan national who had previously been granted asylum.
Officials have framed the pause as a measure to “reassess immigration and vetting procedures” in light of public safety concerns. This decision will create delays for thousands of asylum seekers who are already navigating a complex and uncertain system.
In-person appointments for applicants seeking updates on their cases are also canceled until further notice.
According to internal guidance, officers may continue conducting asylum interviews and reviewing cases up to the point of issuing a decision. “Once you’ve reached decision entry, stop and hold,” the directive stated.
On November 28th USCIS Director Joseph Edlow confirmed the news on X.
