Judge Blocks Trump-Era Asylum and Immigration Restrictions
A federal judge on Friday struck down several Trump administration policies that restricted asylum claims and other immigration benefits, ruling they exceeded agency authority and were driven by “anti-immigrant sentiments.”
Judge John J. McConnell Jr. voided four policies issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services last winter. One paused immigration benefit applications, including work permits and green cards, for people from the 39 countries covered by President Trump’s travel bans. Another ordered reviews of previously approved benefits for people from those countries who entered the U.S. since the start of the Biden administration.
The ruling also struck down a global hold on asylum applications, though USCIS has since said it is no longer enforcing that policy.
Nonprofits and labor unions sued in March, arguing the measures disrupted the lives of immigrants they represent. They said many lost jobs or legal status while awaiting decisions, causing significant financial and emotional hardship.
In his 135-page opinion, McConnell wrote that the policies “placed the lives of countless individuals on hold” based solely on country of birth. The Obama appointee said USCIS exceeded its authority, failed to adequately justify its actions, and cited national security concerns as a pretext masking anti-immigrant bias.
Homeland Security General Counsel James Percival dismissed the ruling’s animus findings as a common argument used against Trump-era DHS policies.
The administration adopted the policies after the fatal 2025 shooting of a National Guard member in Washington, D.C. Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan asylum recipient, was charged with first-degree murder and has pleaded not guilty.
