A federal judge in Rhode Island struck down a series of Trump administration immigration policies Friday, ruling that asylum freezes, visa suspensions and broad processing holds left thousands of immigrants in "indeterminate legal limbo" and unlawfully disrupted pathways for people already living legally in the United States.
In a 135-page opinion, Chief U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr. said policies implemented by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services after a November shooting involving an Afghan national had effectively prevented many immigrants from obtaining asylum decisions, work permits, green cards and citizenship benefits.
"Over six months later, many of those individuals remain without work, without legal status, and without any meaningful ability to plan for their futures," McConnell wrote.
The policies were introduced back in November after authorities accused Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who entered the U.S. through a humanitarian program and later received asylum, of shooting two National Guard members in Washington. Lakanwal has pleaded not guilty.
Following the attack, USCIS announced it was halting all asylum decisions pending additional vetting measures. The State Department also stopped processing visas for Afghan nationals, including applicants in the Special Immigrant Visa program created for Afghans who assisted the U.S. military during the war.
At the time, USCIS Director Joseph Edlow said the agency had "halted all asylum decisions until we can ensure that every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible."
McConnell ruled that the administration's actions violated federal immigration law and improperly applied restrictions based on nationality. The policies included a freeze on asylum adjudications and a pause on immigration applications filed by individuals from countries covered under Trump's travel ban, preventing some applicants from securing lawful status or employment authorization.
"The court is reminded of a line often repeated in discussions around immigration policy: If people wish to immigrate to the United States, they ought to 'follow the law' and 'do things the right way,'" McConnell wrote. "This case serves as a perfect example of immigrants doing just that."
McConnell has become a central figure in several legal disputes involving Trump administration policies. During last year's government shutdown, he ordered the administration to restore frozen SNAP food assistance payments, though that ruling was later challenged and partially paused by higher courts.
In a January interview with The Boston Globe, McConnell said politically charged cases had led to escalating threats against judges but defended the judiciary's role. "We apply the law to them and we do it without fear or favor," he said.
