Court order on frozen cases: what it means for immigrants from 39 countries
If you are from one of the 39 countries affected by the 2025 and 2026 presidential proclamations, and your case was on hold, there is important news. On August 24, 2026, a federal judge issued an order requiring USCIS to resume processing thousands of cases that had been paused indefinitely.
In this article, we explain what happened, which countries are included, what it means for you, and how to protect your case.
What happened on August 24, 2026?
On that day, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California issued an order in the case Red Eagle Law, L.C., et al. v. Joseph B. Edlow. Judge Charles R. Breyer decided to
Certify a nationwide class of applicants affected by the hold policies.
Order USCIS to resume adjudication of applications that were paused under Policy Memoranda PM-602-0192 and PM-602-0194.
The order applies nationwide, not just to the individual plaintiffs.
USCIS responded that it "strongly disagrees with the Court's order" but will follow its terms while seeking further judicial review . On August 28, USCIS published an alert confirming the decision .
Which cases were frozen, and why?
On December 2, 2025, USCIS issued PM-602-0192, ordering a halt to the adjudication of all immigration benefit applications for nationals of countries considered "high-risk." On January 1, 2026, PM-602-0194 expanded this policy to 39 countries.
This pause blocked the issuance of green cards, work permits, citizenship, and other benefits for citizens of these countries.
List of affected countries (39 countries)
Full entry ban:
Afghanistan, Burma (Myanmar), Burkina Faso, Chad, North Korea, Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Niger, Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Syria, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Yemen.
Partial entry ban:
Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
The policy also includes people using travel documents from the Palestinian Authority.
An important relief: the Dorcas ruling (June 2026)
The Red Eagle Law ruling was not the first to challenge these policies. On June 5, 2026, the Rhode Island District Court, in the case Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island v. USCIS, declared Policy Memoranda PM-602-0192, PM-602-0194, and Policy Alert PA-2025-26 unlawful.
The court found that USCIS exceeded its legal authority and violated the Administrative Procedure Act.
What does this mean for you?
If you are a national of one of the 39 countries
YOUR CASE MUST RESUME. USCIS is required to process your application in the normal course. If your application was frozen and you have not yet received a response, USCIS must resume processing
If you have not seen movement on your case
The order means cases must be processed, but it does not guarantee fast timelines. USCIS's backlog exceeds 3.7 million cases, so there could be additional delays
If your status expired while your case was frozen
Some people lost their legal status or work permit during the freeze. You may consider filing a mandamus petition or requesting a congressional inquiry to pressure USCIS to act.
The Form I-485 change: deadline September 18
In addition to the court order, there is another important change: starting September 18, 2026, USCIS will only accept the new version of Form I-485 (edition date: 09/18/26)
What changed in the new form?
The new version was updated to align with the new "public charge" rule that takes effect on the same date. Key changes include
Two existing questions are combined into one: "Have you ever received any means-tested public benefit?"
The way applicants disclose public benefits is reorganized with a new free-text "Reason" field.
Detailed instruction pages that previously explained what counted as a public benefit have been removed.
The new public charge rule gives officers more discretion to assess whether an applicant might become a "public charge," considering factors such as age, health, family situation, financial resources, and skills
Key dates you cannot ignore
Before September 18, 2026: USCIS will accept the 01/20/25 edition of Form I-485.
On or after September 18, 2026: ONLY the 09/18/26 edition will be accepted
THERE IS NO GRACE PERIOD. If you use the older version after September 18, your application will be rejected
What you can do today
Check your case status online
Log into your USCIS account and check your case status. If you see no movement for months, your case may have been affected by the now-overturned policies .
2. If you have a pending I-485, make sure you use the correct version
If you are filing or already have an I-485 in process, check the edition date. If you use the wrong version, your case will be automatically rejected .
3. Keep your address updated
If you move, you must notify USCIS and the immigration court within 10 days. Failure to do so could cause you to miss important notices .
4. Consult with an immigration attorney
Every case is unique. An attorney can help you determine whether your case was affected and what steps to take to protect your status .
Clear information, not legal advice
At RISE Immigration Services, we are DHS-accredited representatives and we are here to inform and guide you. We are not lawyers, but we understand the process and can help you navigate these changes with clear and reliable information. For specific advice about your case, always consult with a licensed immigration attorney.
References
USCIS. Recent Court Order on Hold Policies. August 27, 2026 .
USCIS. Reciente Orden Judicial sobre las Políticas de Suspensión. August 27, 2026 .
Texas Lawyer Referral Service. Court Blocks USCIS Hold Policies, August 24, 2026. August 28, 2026 .
Powers Law Group, P.C. Un Tribunal Federal Anula el Congelamiento de Beneficios Migratorios para Países del Travel Ban. June 4, 2026
CLINIC. Refugee, Asylee, and Travel Ban Updates. June 5, 2026 .
AILA. USCIS Announces Compliance with Preliminary Injunction to Lift Adjudication Hold for Travel Ban Countries. August 27, 2026 .
McBean Immigration Law. USCIS Adjudication Pause (39 Countries) .
Boundless Immigration. USCIS Previews New Form I-485 Ahead of September Rollout. August 19, 2026 .
Erickson Immigration Group. USCIS to Release New Form I-485 on September 18, 2026. August 19, 2026 .
Mondaq. Revised Form I-485 Takes Effect Sept. 18. August 20, 2026 .
Campos Law Firm. Un tribunal ordena al USCIS que reanude los casos suspendidos. August 28, 2026 .
Mondaq. After Dorcas: USCIS Says The Hold Policies Are Gone. June 22, 2026 .
Joseph & Hall P.C. USCIS Confirms Compliance With Dorcas Country Hold Decision. June 23, 2026 .
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