USCIS Pauses Immigration Adjudications for Individuals from 19 Travel Ban Countries
USCIS has announced an indefinite pause on adjudicating most immigration benefits for individuals from 19 countries designated as “high-risk” under Presidential Proclamation 10949. This includes individuals who are citizens of one of the 19 countries, or were merely born there (even if they are citizens of another country not on the list). The pause encompasses green card applications, naturalization, asylum, and certain employment authorization document requests.
Affected Countries: Afghanistan, Burma (Myanmar), Burundi, Chad, Cuba, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, and Yemen.
USCIS has also paused the processing of all asylum applications regardless of the applicant’s country of nationality or birth.
Key Impacts for Employers
Employment Authorization Delays: Pending EAD applications may be placed on hold. Renewals could be delayed, risking work authorization gaps.
Heightened Scrutiny: USCIS may treat nationality from these countries as a negative factor in discretionary decisions.
Travel Risks: Employees traveling abroad may face re-entry issues due to possible expansion of the travel ban.
Re-Review of Approved Cases: Employees who obtained benefits after January 2021 may be subject to re-interviews and additional vetting.
Recommended Actions for Employers
Audit your workforce and identify potentially-impacted employees.
Prepare contingency plans for roles at risk of work authorization gaps.
Advise employees from the affected countries to avoid non-essential international travel.
Communicate early and encourage consultation with immigration counsel.