USCIS Lifts Asylum Pause for Most Applicants, But Freeze Continues for Nationals of 39 Countries Including Haiti, Venezuela, and Cuba

Written By Miguel Mora

If you have a pending affirmative asylum application with USCIS and you are not from one of the 39 countries on the Trump administration's travel ban list, your case may finally be moving again.

On March 29, 2026, CBS News reported exclusively that the Trump administration has lifted its unprecedented, months-long pause on USCIS asylum adjudications for most applicants. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the change in a statement, saying USCIS has lifted the adjudicative hold for "thoroughly screened asylum seekers from non high-risk countries."

But for immigrants from Haiti, Venezuela, Cuba, and 36 other countries on the administration's travel ban list, the freeze remains in place and shows no sign of being lifted.

Background: What the Pause Was and Why It Was Enacted

On December 2, 2025, USCIS enacted an unprecedented hold on all pending affirmative asylum applications, regardless of the applicant's nationality. The move came days after Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who had been granted asylum in 2025, allegedly shot two National Guard members in Washington, D.C. One of those members later died from her injuries.

The administration cited national security concerns and the need for enhanced vetting as the basis for the pause. Under Policy Memo PM-602-0192, USCIS directed a hold on all affirmative asylum adjudications while it developed new vetting and review procedures.

On January 1, 2026, the administration expanded the hold further through a second policy memo, applying an adjudication freeze not just to asylum applications but to all immigration benefit requests filed by nationals of all 39 countries on the travel ban list. That broader freeze covered green card applications, work permit renewals, naturalization petitions, and other benefit requests for nationals of those 39 countries.

What Changed on March 29, 2026

According to two Department of Homeland Security officials who spoke to CBS News, USCIS has now lifted the asylum adjudication pause for applicants from countries not on the travel ban list. DHS confirmed the move publicly, stating that the change "allows resources to focus on continued rigorous national security and public safety vetting for higher-risk cases."

In plain terms: if you filed an affirmative asylum application with USCIS and you are from a country NOT on the 39-country travel ban list, USCIS can now issue a decision on your case.

What Has Not Changed: The Freeze Continues for 39 Countries

The asylum adjudication pause remains fully in place for nationals of all 39 countries on the travel ban list. Additionally, the broader freeze on all other immigration benefit requests, including green cards, work permits, and naturalization applications, also continues for nationals of those same 39 countries under the January 1, 2026 policy memo.

The full list of countries where the freeze remains in effect is:

Afghanistan, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burma (Myanmar), Burundi, Chad, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Gabon, The Gambia, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

For Tampa Bay's immigrant community, this list is particularly significant. Haiti, Venezuela, and Cuba together represent three of the largest immigrant populations in the Tampa Bay area. Nationals of all three countries remain subject to both the asylum freeze and the broader immigration benefits freeze with no announced end date.

What This Means If You Are From One of the 39 Countries

If you are a national of any of the 39 countries listed above and you have a pending affirmative asylum application or any other pending immigration benefit request with USCIS, your case is still frozen. Yesterday's change does not affect you.

There are limited exceptions that were built into the original January 1, 2026 policy memo, including applications to replace green cards (Form I-90), replacement naturalization documents (Form N-565), and initial work permit applications tied to pending asylum cases. If you believe one of these exceptions may apply to your situation, consult an attorney before drawing any conclusions.

An Important Distinction: Affirmative vs. Defensive Asylum

This entire policy applies only to affirmative asylum applications, meaning applications filed directly with USCIS by people who are not in immigration court removal proceedings.

If you filed for asylum as part of your removal defense case in immigration court (called defensive asylum), your case is before an immigration judge, not USCIS, and the adjudication pause does not directly apply to your case in the same way. Immigration judges have continued to hear and decide defensive asylum cases throughout the pause period, though conditions in immigration court have changed significantly in other ways.

If you are unsure which category applies to your situation, an immigration attorney can clarify that quickly.

What Haitian Asylum Applicants Need to Know Right Now

Haitian nationals face a compounding set of challenges at this moment. TPS for Haiti, which was protected by a court order since February 2, 2026, is now before the U.S. Supreme Court with arguments set for April 2026. A decision is expected by early July. At the same time, Haitian asylum applicants remain subject to both the USCIS adjudication freeze and the broader benefits freeze under the travel ban list.

If you are Haitian and have a pending case with USCIS of any kind, the current environment calls for close attention. Read our updated guide on TPS for Florida immigrants for the latest on the Haiti TPS situation.

How Mora Immigration Group Tampa Can Help

If you have a pending asylum application, green card case, work permit renewal, or other USCIS matter and are unsure how the current freeze affects your specific case, a consultation with an immigration attorney is the most efficient way to get clarity.

Mora Immigration Group Tampa handles asylum, removal defense, TPS, family-based immigration, and DACA cases for clients throughout Tampa Bay and nationwide. Attorney Miguel Mora is a member of the AILA Central Florida Chapter and follows these policy developments closely.

Call or text (813) 815-VISA for a free consultation, or schedule online at immigrationtampa.com/book.

Official Sources and Related Resources

This Story

Background

  • USCIS Policy Memo PM-602-0192 (December 2, 2025 asylum pause): uscis.gov

  • USCIS Policy Memo PM-602-0194 (January 1, 2026 expansion to 39 countries): uscis.gov

Mora Immigration Group Tampa — Related Pages

Attorney advertising. This post is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Immigration policy is changing rapidly. Consult with a licensed immigration attorney about your specific situation.

Miguel Mora https://migmora.com
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