USCIS adjudication pause hits 39 countries
USCIS has implemented an adjudication pause that is delaying I-485 adjustments, I-765 work authorizations, I-131 travel documents, and H‑1B transfers/extensions for nationals from 39 countries—creating new backlogs and uncertainty for affected applicants. The pause appears to be driving significant processing delays across multiple benefit types. (x.com)
USCIS formalized the expanded adjudicative hold in Policy Memorandum PM‑602‑0194 dated January 1, 2026 and built it on PM‑602‑0192 issued December 2, 2025. (uscis.gov) PM‑602‑0194 ties the hold directly to Presidential Proclamation 10998 — effective 12:01 a.m. Eastern on January 1, 2026 — which extended entry restrictions and added countries to the travel‑restriction list. (uscis.gov) USCIS instructed officers to conduct a comprehensive re‑review of previously approved benefit requests approved on or after January 20, 2021 and specified that interviews for affected applicants shall not be waived. (uscis.gov) The Department of State separately paused immigrant‑visa issuances effective January 21, 2026 for nationals of dozens of countries (including Afghanistan, Burma, Nigeria, Syria, and Yemen), while continuing to schedule consular interviews and exempting dual nationals who apply with a non‑listed passport. (travel.state.gov) At least one multi‑plaintiff federal lawsuit filed in early January 2026 included nearly 200 immigrant plaintiffs (six plaintiffs identified from Massachusetts), and multiple firms and organizers are recruiting plaintiffs for mandamus and group challenges. (visalawyerblog.com) Global immigration firms and employer‑focused practices flagged immediate operational impacts for employers and warned of possible work‑authorization gaps and extra vetting for nonimmigrant petitions, urging contingency planning for affected workforces. (fragomen.com)
