USCIS has implemented an adjudication pause affecting immigrants from 39 countries, leaving many applicants, including engineers and physicians, in limbo without a clear timeline for their pending cases. This pause, initiated under PM-602-0192 and PM-602-0194, has been in effect since late 2025 and prevents final decisions for applicants from countries covered by Presidential Proclamations 10949 and 10998.
Key Details:
- The adjudication pause affects individuals already in the U.S. with pending cases, while the State Department has also frozen immigrant visa issuance for nationals of 75 countries as of January 21, 2026.
- Three federal courts have ordered USCIS to adjudicate individual cases, suggesting the hold may violate the Administrative Procedure Act (APA).
- Some non-high-risk countries have seen a relaxation of the hold as of March 2026, but relief has only been granted to named plaintiffs in specific cases.
- Larger multi-plaintiff cases, such as Saghafi v. Edlow, may provide broader relief for affected applicants, particularly in the healthcare sector.
This situation creates significant uncertainty for many immigrants and their employers, emphasizing the need for organizations to track the status of their employees’ immigration cases effectively. Need help with your immigration case? Visit QuickFiling.us for professional immigration services.
Source: Ashlee Drake Berry