Overview
- Judge John J. McConnell Jr. ruled on Friday, June 5, 2026 that USCIS acted illegally when it paused decisions for nationals of 39 countries and ordered the agency to resume processing those asylum, work‑authorization, green‑card and naturalization cases.
- USCIS built a deep backlog after the administration ordered enhanced vetting and resubmission of pending files for expanded FBI criminal‑database checks, leaving roughly 11.6 million pending cases by the end of fiscal 2025.
- The Senate on the same day approved about $70 billion to fund ICE, CBP and DHS operations through the end of the presidential term, a partisan vote that strengthens enforcement resources while policy fights over amendments continued.
- DHS has issued narrow clarifications saying highly skilled applicants and current green‑card holders will not see perceptible changes, but the agency has not provided firm timelines for re‑scheduling interviews or completing enhanced security checks.
- Implementation remains uncertain because the court order does not guarantee approvals, the government can appeal or seek a stay, and agencies must reconcile the judge’s mandate with expanded vetting and a vast backlog that will affect when individuals regain work rights or legal status.