Court Order Forces Resumption of Asylum and Immigration Processing

On June 5, 2026, Judge John J. McConnell Jr. vacated USCIS’s global asylum hold and immigration freeze for nationals of 39 countries, deeming them unlawful and ordering immediate processing of over one million pending cases.

Boston Globe

Judge John J. McConnell Jr., Angelica Alfonso-Royals, and attorneys Charles Calenda, Tyler Becker, Todd Blanche, Lauren Zurier were involved. The coalition, a mix of nonprofits and unions, includes Refugee Dream Center, Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island, Service Employees International Union, International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, African Communities Together, Venezuelan Association of Massachusetts, Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, American Gateways, Democracy Forward, Lawyers’ Committee for Rhode Island, Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services, Muslim Advocates and South Asian American Justice Collaborative.

Boston Globe

June 5: vacatur; June 11: government still follows policies; June 12: appeal filed, coalition celebrates.

Boston Globe

More than one million applications from 39 nations were stalled.

New York Times

USCIS posted a memo on its website stating it “strongly disagrees with the court’s order” but will follow its terms pending review. The coalition’s filing warned that the government continues to withhold citizenship, green cards, work permits and other benefits. Judge McConnell’s order states the policies are void.

Boston Globe

Judge McConnell described the agency’s justification as “pretextual concerns of ‘national security’ that mask anti-immigrant sentiments,” calling the policies unlawful, arbitrary and capricious. Coalition leaders called the measures “cruel” and condemned the resulting chaos and inefficiency.

Boston Globe

USCIS maintains the policies are no longer in effect, yet the coalition reports ongoing denial of benefits and notes that, as of Friday evening, it remained unclear whether USCIS had resumed processing decisions.

New York Times

• “It should almost go without saying—but the Court will say it anyway for the sake of ‘clarify[ing]’ the Government’s ‘current obligations,’ … that court orders vacating and setting aside agency policies have immediate effect once they are issued,” — U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr.

The Hill

• “There is no excuse this time; the Government has an obligation to immediately comply with this Order.” — Judge McConnell

The Hill

• “USCIS’s challenged policies are no longer in effect,” — Judge McConnell

Boston Globe

• “The Trump-Vance administration’s cruel immigration policies have been about chaos, confusion, and inefficiency and we are proud to challenge these unlawful measures and to have secured a court order blocking the policies,” — Skye Perryman, president and CEO, Democracy Forward

Boston Globe

The administration filed an appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, seeking a stay of the June 5 order. The coalition warns that continued litigation could further delay full restoration of asylum and immigration processing for affected applicants.

New York Times