USCIS pauses processing of certain humanitarian applications

CBS News reports that in an internal memo, the Trump Administration has enacted a pause on all immigration applications filed by or on behalf of individuals paroled into the United States under the Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans (CHNV), Uniting for Ukraine (U4U), and Family Reunification parole programs. This memo was issued on February 14, 2025 citing concerns of fraud, national security and public safety as the justification for the pause. The pause impacts all immigration applications, petitions and requests for ancillary benefits. For example, the pause would apply to applications such as asylum, TPS, adjustment or naturalization, petitions such as I-130, and benefits requests such as I-765. While cases may continue to be worked on by officers, the pause limits their abilities to finally adjudicate cases. The pause is 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, according to the directive.”