A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from freezing green cards, work permits, and citizenship applications for people from 39 countries, restoring hope for hundreds of thousands of immigrants who had been stuck in limbo.
What the Judge Decided
On Friday, June 5, 2026, U.S. District Judge John McConnell in Rhode Island blocked the Trump administration from freezing work permits, green cards, citizenship applications, and other immigration benefits for noncitizens from 39 countries affected by the government’s travel bans.
The 135-page ruling opens the door for hundreds of thousands of people with pending applications to have their benefits unpaused. The judge wrote that these immigrants had been following the rules, yet were targeted because of where they came from. “If people wish to immigrate to the United States, they ought to follow the law and do things the right way,” he wrote. “This case serves as a perfect example of immigrants doing just that.”
What Was Frozen, and Why
To understand the ruling, it helps to understand what it undoes.
At the end of 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services put a series of policies in place that the administration tied, at least in part, to a November shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., by an Afghan national. After that incident, USCIS suspended the adjudication of all asylum applications. It also decided that if an applicant for immigration benefits came from one of the 39 countries subject to the travel ban, that origin alone would count as a significant negative factor in their case.
The practical effect was severe. As the judge described it, more than six months later, many of the affected people remained without work, without legal status, and without any meaningful ability to plan for their futures. The policy also led to the widespread cancellation of naturalization ceremonies for immigrants who were on the verge of becoming citizens.
The Judge’s Reasoning
Judge McConnell was sharply critical of the government’s justification. He wrote that the policies threw countless immigrants into indeterminate legal limbo and that USCIS had tried to justify its actions with what he called pretextual concerns of national security that masked anti immigrant sentiments the agency is not allowed to act on.
He said he was not convinced the policies served a legitimate national security interest, and he pointed to the President’s own public statements, including a rally comment about pausing migration from certain countries by name. Ruling otherwise, the judge wrote, would require the court to ignore strong evidence of animus that was in front of it.
Who This Affects
The ruling applies to noncitizens from the 39 countries covered by the travel bans. Reporting on the decision noted that the affected countries include Iran, Nigeria, Venezuela, and Afghanistan, among others.
If you have a pending application that was paused or slowed because of these policies, whether for a work permit, a green card, asylum, or naturalization, this ruling is meaningful for you. Naturalization ceremonies that had been canceled for affected immigrants are now set to be rescheduled. Advocates described the decision as an enormous victory for hundreds of thousands of people who had lost clarity about whether they could obtain or keep their status in the United States.
What Happens Next
Good news in immigration law often comes with a caveat, and this ruling is no exception. The government can appeal the decision to the First Circuit Court of Appeals. The case could continue for some time, and the situation may change as it moves through the courts.
For now, the policies are blocked, and agencies are expected to process the affected benefits. If you have a case that was caught up in the freeze, this is a moment to move forward rather than wait.
What This Means for You and What to Do
If your application was delayed or frozen under these policies, here are practical steps to consider. First, check the current status of your case through USCIS so you know exactly where it stands. Second, keep every notice, receipt, and piece of correspondence you have received, since a clear record helps if there are questions about timing. Third, speak with an immigration attorney about how this ruling affects your specific application and whether there are steps you should take now to keep your case moving.
Because the policies were only recently blocked and could still be appealed, personalized legal advice matters. What is right for one applicant may not be right for another, and timing can be important.
How Powers Law Group Can Help
At Powers Law Group, we help immigrants and their families across Houston navigate exactly these kinds of shifting rules. If your work permit, green card, asylum case, or citizenship application was affected by the freeze, we can review your situation and help you take the right next step.
To talk through your case with our team, schedule a consultation at rubypowerslaw.com/consultation.
Sources
- Erik Uebelacker, “Judge blocks Trump’s sweeping freeze on immigration benefits for 39 countries,” Courthouse News Service, June 5, 2026. https://www.courthousenews.com
- U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island, ruling by Judge John J. McConnell Jr., June 2026. https://www.rid.uscourts.gov
- American Immigration Council. https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. https://www.uscis.gov
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security. https://www.dhs.gov
- African Communities Together. https://africans.us
- National Immigration Law Center. https://www.nilc.org
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. https://www.ca1.uscourts.gov
- Federal Register, travel restriction proclamations and USCIS policy notices. https://www.federalregister.gov
- Immigration and Nationality Act, naturalization and adjustment provisions, 8 U.S.C. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/8
- Powers Law Group. https://rubypowerslaw.com
