A federal judge in Rhode Island just handed a significant legal defeat to USCIS, striking down three internal policies that had been stalling immigration applications across the board. If your case was caught in a hold under these policies, this ruling could get things moving again — though further litigation may change the picture.

Key Points

  • What: A federal court vacated three USCIS policies (PM 602-0192, PM 602-0194, and PA 2025-26) that were placing immigration applications on hold.
  • Who: Anyone with a pending immigration application that was affected by these hold policies — represented by millions of individuals via NGOs and labor unions in the lawsuit.
  • When: The court's final judgment was entered June 11, 2026; the vacatur is effective immediately and applies agency-wide.
  • Impact: USCIS must treat these three policies as if they never existed, potentially releasing applications that had been frozen under them.

What Happened

On June 5, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island ruled in Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island, et al. v. USCIS that three USCIS policy documents — PM 602-0192, PM 602-0194, and PA 2025-26 — must be vacated (legally nullified).

The plaintiffs were non-governmental organizations and labor unions representing millions of people who had filed immigration applications and whose cases were affected by these hold policies.

Final judgment was entered on June 11, 2026, making the order immediately effective and binding across all USCIS operations.

What These Policies Were

The three vacated documents were issued by USCIS based on two Presidential Proclamations:

  • PP 10949 (June 4, 2025): Restricting entry of foreign nationals on national security and public safety grounds.
  • PP 10998 (December 16, 2025): Further restricting and limiting entry of foreign nationals for security reasons.

USCIS used these proclamations to justify holding or pausing certain immigration applications, citing concerns about screening, vetting, and national security threats.

The court disagreed that these proclamations gave USCIS the authority to implement the specific hold policies it did.

USCIS's Response

USCIS made clear it strongly disagrees with the ruling but will comply while it considers further legal action. The agency noted it will issue updated processing instructions as the litigation develops.

This means the situation could shift again — USCIS may appeal, and a higher court could potentially restore the hold policies.

What This Means for You

If your immigration application was delayed or stalled under one of these three policies:

  • The policies are now legally void, and USCIS must process your case as if those holds never applied.
  • USCIS has not yet published updated instructions, so processing timelines may still be unclear in the short term.
  • Because USCIS is signaling a possible appeal, the landscape could change — stay alert for updates.

What You Should Do

  • Check your case status on the USCIS online portal to see if there has been any movement.
  • Contact your attorney or accredited representative if your application was explicitly placed on hold — they can advise whether this ruling applies to your specific situation.
  • Watch for USCIS updates on new processing instructions, which the agency says are coming as litigation continues.
  • No immediate action is required, but staying informed is critical given the likelihood of further legal developments.