US resumes asylum processing for some, but ban stays for 39 nations

The US has restarted some asylum claims after a pause, but applicants from 39 countries under Trump's travel ban remain blocked

The Trump administration will resume processing some asylum claims after a near-blanket halt of immigration paperwork for hundreds of thousands of people seeking refuge in the United States, according to CBS News.

 

The move marks a partial rollback of restrictions introduced earlier this year. US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has lifted the adjudicative hold for asylum seekers from countries considered lower risk, CBS News and several other US media outlets reported, quoting US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson.

 

The official said screening and vetting for foreigners seeking to enter the US would continue.

 

The decision applies to individuals from countries that are not subject to travel bans or other restrictions. However, asylum processing remains paused for applicants from 39 countries covered under President Donald Trump’s travel ban, including Senegal, Somalia, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Laos, Cuba and Haiti, according to US media reports.

   

The earlier freeze had been imposed following a shooting involving an Afghan national in the US on humanitarian parole, who shot two National Guard members.

 

USCIS and DHS have not issued an official announcement so far.

 

Why were asylum claims halted?

 

The suspension followed a shooting incident near the White House in November, in which one National Guard member was killed and another injured.

 

Authorities identified the suspect as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who had been evacuated from Afghanistan in 2021 during the US withdrawal and entered the country under humanitarian parole.

 

The incident led to a wider crackdown on immigration. The administration paused asylum processing as part of a broader set of restrictions that drew criticism over their legal basis.

 

Trump also stepped up his rhetoric, pledging to pause migration from “all Third World Countries”, end what he called “illegal admissions” under former President Joe Biden, and cut federal benefits for non-citizens.

 

What is US asylum?

 

US asylum is a form of protection granted to foreign nationals already present in the country or at a port of entry who fear persecution in their home country due to race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group.

 

To qualify, applicants must show a “well-founded fear” of persecution. Claims are processed either through an affirmative route handled by USCIS or a defensive process before an immigration judge.

 

What other restrictions were introduced?

 

The administration tightened employment rules for asylum seekers, allowing federal authorities to revisit applications more frequently.

 

It also deployed Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents to several cities, including Minneapolis. Their actions, along with the killing of two Americans, led to protests that lasted nearly two months.

 

As public opinion shifted, the White House eased some enforcement measures.

 

Last month, a DHS memo said refugees applying for green cards must return to federal custody one year after being admitted to the US for a review of their applications.

 

“DHS may maintain custody for the duration of the inspection and examination process,” the memo said.

 

The move could result in the detention of tens of thousands of refugees who are lawfully in the US but do not yet have permanent residency, reversing long-standing safeguards.

 

Refugee groups raise concerns

 

Advocacy and resettlement organisations criticised the policy.

 

HIAS, an international Jewish nonprofit working with refugees and asylum seekers, described it as “a transparent effort to detain and potentially deport thousands of people who are legally present in this country, people the US government itself welcomed”.

 

“They were promised safety and the chance to rebuild their lives. Instead, DHS is now threatening them with arrest and indefinite detention,” said Beth Oppenheim, Chief Executive Officer of HIAS, in a statement.