TL;DR
DHS has lifted the asylum adjudication pause for people from countries not on the travel ban list, according to a statement reported by CBS News on March 29, 2026. If your country is one of the 39 on the travel ban list — including Nigeria, Somalia, Cuba, Haiti, and Venezuela — the freeze on your asylum case, work permit, and green card process is still in place. Separately, the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last week that undocumented immigrants who entered the U.S. without inspection have no right to a bond hearing, even if they've lived here for years.

USCIS Lifts Asylum Pause for Most Applicants — But Not All

Two major immigration developments landed this past week, and both affect people with pending cases right now. One is encouraging. The other is a serious warning. Here's exactly what happened and what it means for you.

Why Was There an Asylum Pause in the First Place?

In late November 2025, an Afghan national shot two National Guard members in Washington, D.C. The Trump administration used that shooting to justify a sweeping crackdown on immigration benefits. According to AP News, the administration halted all asylum decisions and paused immigration applications — including green cards and citizenship — for people from countries on the travel ban list.

On December 2, 2025, USCIS issued a formal policy memorandum. It placed an adjudicative hold on all pending asylum applications — regardless of nationality — and separately froze all immigration benefit requests from people in so-called "high-risk countries." That policy document is publicly available on USCIS.gov.

Then, in December 2025, President Trump signed a proclamation expanding the travel ban list to 39 countries, according to CNN. That expansion added 20 countries to the original 19, bringing in nations from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

What Did DHS Just Announce — and Who Does It Help?

On Sunday, March 29, DHS confirmed to CBS News that USCIS has lifted the adjudicative hold for "thoroughly screened asylum seekers from non-high-risk countries." In plain English: if your country is not on the travel ban list, your asylum application at USCIS may start moving again.

This is real progress for many people who have been waiting months with no movement on their cases. But don't expect a quick interview notice just yet — processing backlogs are long, and USCIS is reviewing cases under stricter scrutiny than before.

If your case is pending and your country is not on the travel ban list, now is the time to prepare. Review your application, gather updated evidence, and speak with an immigration attorney. USCIS has stated it is conducting more intensive review of asylum cases, so you need to be ready.

Which 39 Countries Are Still Frozen Out?

The adjudication pause remains in full effect for people from all 39 travel ban countries. According to CNN's reporting on the December 2025 proclamation, the full list includes:

  • Full travel ban: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, Syria
  • Partial travel restrictions: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, Zimbabwe

If your country is on this list, your asylum case, asylum clock, work permit (EAD), and green card process are all still on hold. A lawsuit challenging this freeze — filed on March 20, 2026 — is ongoing. You should follow developments in that case closely if you are one of the affected nationals.

According to a NBC News report, the original pause affected submissions from Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, and others — and it has since expanded significantly.

What Did the 8th Circuit Court Just Rule About ICE Detention?

This second story is harder to read, but you need to know it. Last week, the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that immigrants who entered the United States without inspection — meaning without going through a legal port of entry — are not entitled to a bond hearing, even if they've been in the country for years. According to The New York Times, the case involved a Mexican national who was arrested in Minneapolis last August. He had no lawful status, was detained by ICE, and a lower federal court had granted his release. The 8th Circuit reversed that decision.

Politico reported that this is the second federal appeals court to back this position. The first was the 5th Circuit, which covers Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. The 8th Circuit now adds Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota to the list of places where this no-bond rule applies.

This means that in these states, if ICE arrests you and you entered without inspection, you may be held in detention throughout your entire immigration case — with no opportunity to pay a bond and wait at home. This ruling is being challenged, and the question may eventually reach the Supreme Court.

What Should You Do Now?

  1. Find out if your country is on the travel ban list. The full list of 39 countries is available through the CNN link above and on the State Department website. If your country isn't on it, your asylum case may start moving — prepare for an interview now.
  2. Check your asylum clock status. If your case was delayed during the pause, that time may or may not count toward your 180-day asylum clock for work permit (EAD) eligibility. Talk to an attorney about how the pause affected your clock.
  3. Gather updated documents and country condition evidence. USCIS is conducting stricter, more intensive reviews of asylum applications. Your evidence needs to be current and detailed. Don't rely on what you submitted years ago.
  4. If you are from a travel ban country, track the ongoing lawsuit. The legal challenge filed March 20, 2026, seeks to lift the freeze. Stay connected to an attorney who is following it.
  5. If you or someone you know entered the U.S. without inspection and lives in the 5th or 8th Circuit states, speak with an immigration attorney immediately. The risk of detention without bond is now a legal reality in those regions. Having a plan matters before any contact with ICE.

Frequently Asked Questions

My country is not on the travel ban list. Will my asylum interview be scheduled soon?

DHS has confirmed the adjudicative hold has been lifted for non-travel-ban countries, but that doesn't mean interviews will happen overnight. USCIS has a large backlog, and cases are now subject to more thorough review. You may see movement on your case, but timelines are unpredictable. Prepare your case materials and consult an attorney so you're ready when a notice arrives.

My country is on the 39-country list. Is there anything I can do?

The freeze on cases from travel ban countries remains in effect as of March 30, 2026. A lawsuit challenging this pause was filed on March 20, 2026, and is ongoing. You should stay in contact with an immigration attorney who is tracking that litigation. Do not let any case deadlines lapse while the pause is active — work with a lawyer to protect your record.

Does the asylum pause affect my work permit (EAD) application?

Yes. For people from the 39 travel ban countries, the pause applies to asylum applications, work permit applications (Form I-765), green card filings, and naturalization. If your asylum application is frozen, your ability to qualify for an employment authorization document based on the 180-day asylum clock is also affected. For non-travel-ban countries, the lift of the pause may allow EAD processing to resume — confirm this with an attorney.

I entered the U.S. without inspection years ago. Can ICE really detain me without a bond now?

In states covered by the 5th Circuit (Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas) and the 8th Circuit (Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota), two federal courts have now ruled that people who entered without inspection can be held by ICE without a bond hearing. This does not apply nationwide yet, and the issue may ultimately be decided by the Supreme Court. If you live in one of these states, speak with an immigration attorney now — before there is any contact with ICE.

What is the 39-country travel ban and where did it come from?

President Trump originally restricted entry from 19 countries in June 2025. In December 2025, he signed a new proclamation expanding that list to 39 countries with full or partial travel restrictions, according to CNN. The list includes countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, the Caribbean, and Latin America. USCIS then applied an adjudicative hold to all immigration benefits for nationals of those countries.

This article is for general educational information only and is not legal advice. Immigration policies can change quickly. Verify important details with official USCIS or DHS materials and a qualified immigration attorney.

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