As confirmed by several news outlets and the American Immigration Lawyers' Association, acting U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Andrew Davidson issued an internal memorandum Feb. 14, 2025, ordering an agency-wide "administrative pause" on all "pending benefit requests" filed by applicants paroled through a parole program, including those seeking Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for migrants from crisis-stricken countries like Haiti, Ukraine, and Venezuela; asylum, which allows those fleeing persecution to gain a permanent safe haven in the United States; Employment Authorization Documents; and "green cards" or permanent residency processes.
Programs impacted:
- Uniting for Ukraine: This program was set up under the Biden administration for displaced Ukrainians outside of the United States. Roughly 240,000 Ukrainians with American sponsors arrived in the United States under that process before President Donald Trump took office.
- Cuban Haitian Nicaragua and Venezuela (CHNV) Parole Program: Through the CHNV Parole Program, over 530,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans have lawfully and safely entered the United States with the help of U.S.-based sponsors.
- Family Reunification Parole Programs: These programs permitted some Colombians, Ecuadorians, Central Americans, Haitians, and Cubans with American relatives to come to the United States to wait for a family-based green card to become available.
- TPS for migrants from crisis-stricken countries; asylum, which allows those fleeing persecution to remain in the United States; and green cards for individuals seeing U.S. permanent residency.
USCIS cited fraud, public safety, and national security concerns that are not being properly flagged in adjudicative systems as reasons for the administrative pause.
According to the memo, the application freeze will remain in place indefinitely while government officials work to identify potential cases of fraud and enhance vetting procedures to mitigate concerns related to national security and public safety.
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