The US government has decided to restart work on some asylum applications after putting a complete stop to them earlier. The decision was shared by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on Monday. This comes months after all such claims were paused following a deadly shooting involving an asylum seeker.
An official from the agency explained the change, saying, “USCIS has lifted the adjudicative hold for thoroughly screened asylum seekers from non-high-risk countries.” The official also made it clear that strict checks are not going away anytime soon, adding that “maximum screening and vetting for immigrants will continue.”
US starts processing some asylum claims again
The pause on asylum cases had started back in November. It came after a shocking incident where an Afghan immigrant, who had entered the US earlier, was accused of shooting two National Guard members. One of them later died from the injuries.
After this, the Trump administration blamed the earlier system under former President Joe Biden. Officials said the vetting process at the time had failed, allowing the accused to enter the country without proper checks.
Who can apply now — and who cannot
Now, while asylum processing is resuming, it is not open for everyone. The government has made it clear that only people who pass strict screening and come from “non-high-risk countries” will be considered for now.
However, USCIS has not shared which countries fall under this category. That detail remains unclear, leaving many applicants unsure about where they stand.
The earlier suspension of asylum services was a part of a broader immigration crackdown ordered by President Donald Trump after the shooting. In fact, the administration had already been taking a tough stand on immigration even before this incident. Back in July, the US had announced a travel ban on citizens from 12 countries. After the shooting, that list was expanded further, adding seven more countries.