CBS News has reported that USCIS issued an internal memo that will pause all immigration applications for those who entered the U.S. under certain Biden-era programs for "fraud and safety concerns." This includes Uniting for Ukraine, CNHV (program that allowed Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans sponsored by American citizens to enter the U.S), and processes that permitted some Colombians, Ecuadorians, Central Americans, Haitians and Cubans with American relatives to come to the U.S. to wait for a family-based green card to become available.
This freeze affects all benefits, including the ability to move into another legal status. The USCIS memo allegedly states that the pause could potentially be lifted, but only after the government completes a "comprehensive review and evaluation of the in-country population of aliens who are or were paroled into the United States under these categorical parole programs."
A copy of the USCIS internal memo has not been released yet.
Associate Mary Connelly was a contributing author to this client alert.
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