Washington: Four Democratic senators have challenged a Trump administration policy that has paused immigration and citizenship cases involving nationals from 39 countries, saying the move has stalled green cards, naturalisation applications and work permits while leaving families and employers in limbo.
In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joseph B. Edlow, the senators said the policy amounts to an indefinite freeze on legal immigration processing based on nationality.
“We write to express serious concern regarding US Citizenship and Immigration Services’ (USCIS) overbroad and indefinite pauses on completions of immigration and citizenship cases, particularly when they are based solely on national origin,” the senators wrote.
The letter was signed by Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine of Virginia and Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland.
According to the lawmakers, USCIS issued memoranda in December 2025 and January 2026 directing officials to place holds on pending and future immigration benefit requests involving nationals from 39 countries.
The senators said the policy affects green card petitions and applications, naturalisation interviews, citizenship ceremonies and employment authorisation requests.
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They also criticised a directive ordering a “comprehensive re-review” of previously approved immigration cases involving individuals from the affected countries who entered the United States on or after January 20, 2021.
“USCIS cannot stop adjudicating or re-adjudicate previously approved applications and petitions based solely on arbitrary factors such as the subject’s national origin, date of entry, or the type of application they filed,” the senators wrote.
“This approach is overbroad, imposes significant harm on immigrants and their American families and employers, and raises questions about USCIS’s discretion and operational capacity.”
The lawmakers said USCIS has provided little information about how the pause is being implemented. They also questioned reports that some applicants have been required to resubmit fingerprints, adding to delays and uncertainty.
The senators argued that the administration was using a single incident involving a foreign national to justify restrictions affecting applicants across nearly 40 countries.
“Imposing a blanket ban on legal immigration processing based on the actions of a single individual is neither proportionate nor consistent with due process principles that undergird our immigration system,” they wrote.
The lawmakers said the consequences are already being felt by families and businesses.
“Our offices are hearing from constituents whose naturalisation interviews have been cancelled, whose green card applications have stalled, and whose employment authorisation documents have lapsed while awaiting renewal,” the senators wrote.
“These lapses in work authorisation are forcing individuals out of jobs, threatening their families’ financial stability, and creating losses for employers who depend on their contributions.”
The letter also raises concerns about a May 2026 USCIS policy memorandum and related guidance that, according to the senators, could force many immigrants seeking permanent residence to return to their home countries to complete the process.
The lawmakers said such a change would depart from decades of immigration practice that allowed eligible applicants already in the United States to adjust their status without leaving the country.
The senators asked USCIS to explain the expected duration of the pause, the number of affected applications and the legal basis for nationality-based reviews. They requested a response within two weeks.
“As a country, we have long pledged that individuals who follow the law and navigate our legal immigration system in good faith deserve timely and fair adjudication of their applications,” the senators wrote.
“An indefinite, nationality-based freeze on processing, without clear operational guidance, a defined timeline, or adequate transparency, undermines that commitment and imposes real consequences on families and communities across the nation,” they said.
–IANS
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