On June 5, 2026, a federal judge in Rhode Island issued a significant decision that may impact thousands of immigrants whose applications have been delayed or placed on hold by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
In the case of Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island v. USCIS, the court ruled that several USCIS policies that paused or delayed the adjudication of immigration benefits were unlawful and must be vacated.
What Policies Were Struck Down?
The court invalidated several USCIS policies, including:
- The Global Asylum Hold Policy
- The Benefits Hold Policy
- The Comprehensive Re-Review Policy
- The Country-Specific Factors Policy
These policies had resulted in the suspension, delay, or additional review of many immigration applications filed by individuals from certain designated countries.
Who Was Affected?
The challenged policies impacted applicants from 39 countries, including Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti, Afghanistan, China, Russia, Iran, Syria, Nicaragua, and many others.
As a result, many immigrants experienced lengthy delays in the adjudication of applications such as:
- Adjustment of Status (Green Card Applications)
- Employment Authorization Documents (Work Permits)
- Naturalization Applications
- Asylum-Related Benefits
- Family-Based Immigration Benefits
- Employment-Based Immigration Benefits
- Humanitarian Applications
For many applicants, cases remained pending for months without meaningful movement while USCIS conducted additional reviews under these policies.
What Does This Decision Mean?
The court concluded that USCIS lacked legal authority to implement broad adjudication holds and failed to comply with required procedures under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA).
If the decision remains in effect, USCIS may be required to resume processing applications that were previously delayed under these policies.
This could result in movement on many long-pending cases that have been stalled due to the agency’s internal review procedures.
What Should Applicants Do Now?
Individuals with pending immigration applications should:
- Monitor their case status closely.
- Keep their address updated with USCIS.
- Respond promptly to any Requests for Evidence (RFEs).
- Consult with an experienced immigration attorney regarding the impact of this decision on their specific case.
Applicants whose cases have experienced unusual delays may also wish to discuss possible legal options with counsel.
What Happens Next?
The federal government is expected to consider an appeal of this decision. The government may also seek a stay of the court’s order while the appeal is pending.
As a result, although this ruling is extremely significant, the legal landscape may continue to evolve in the coming weeks and months.
How Zambrano Law Can Help
If your immigration application has been delayed, placed on hold, or has remained pending for an extended period of time, our team can evaluate your case and determine whether this court decision may affect you.
We continue to monitor developments closely and will provide updates as additional information becomes available.
To schedule a consultation with Zambrano Law, contact our office today at 770-870-6438.
Disclaimer
This article is provided for informational purposes only and reflects the status of the law as of June 5, 2026. Immigration laws, regulations, agency policies, and court decisions can change rapidly. This ruling may be subject to appeals, stays, further litigation, additional court orders, or subsequent agency guidance that could alter its impact. Nothing in this article constitutes legal advice, and readers should consult with qualified legal counsel regarding their individual circumstances.