BOSTON — A federal judge on Friday struck down a Trump administration policy that made it harder for immigrants from 39 countries to stay and enter the United States.
U.S. District Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr. in Rhode Island vacated four U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services directives issued in late 2025 and early 2026. The policies had paused final decisions on asylum, work permits, green cards and citizenship applications for nationals of countries subject to expanded travel bans.
The measures were enacted after the shooting of two National Guard members, which the administration cited as a national security concern. The ruling came in a lawsuit brought by immigrant aid groups and labor unions.
In a 135-page opinion, McConnell wrote that the policies “threw the lives of countless immigrants living in the United States into indeterminate legal limbo.” He said the agency exceeded its authority, failed to provide reasoned explanations, disregarded applicants’ reliance interests and justified its actions with pretextual national security concerns that masked anti-immigrant sentiments.
“USCIS claims statutory and regulatory authority that it does not possess; makes decisions without the reasoned explanations that it must provide; acts without regard for the reliance interests of applicants that it must consider; and justifies its actions with pretextual concerns of ‘national security’ that mask anti-immigrant sentiments that it is forbidden from letting influence its decision-making,” McConnell wrote.
The policies affected applicants from countries including Afghanistan and Iran. They had been unable to obtain final decisions on pending benefits despite having followed legal processes and paid required fees, according to court filings and reports on the case.
The administration had argued the restrictions were necessary for national security following the 2025 incident involving an Afghan national. Supporters of the policies viewed them as essential protections.
Immigrant advocates welcomed the decision, saying it would allow hundreds of thousands of eligible applicants to have their cases processed. Details on the exact number of affected individuals remain unclear.
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Friday. The administration is expected to appeal the ruling.
The case, Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island v. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, highlights ongoing legal challenges to immigration enforcement under the Trump administration. Similar disputes have played out in courts across the country in recent months.
As of Friday evening, the full impact of the order on pending applications was still being assessed by immigration agencies and legal organizations.
