‍Ruling Vacates USCIS Policies, Carrying Nationwide Effect

On June 5, 2026, Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island issued a ruling in Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island v. USCIS, vacating four USCIS policies that had placed immigration benefits on hold for nationals of countries targeted by the Trump administration's travel bans. Unlike earlier preliminary injunction wins in other districts, which had generally limited relief to the named plaintiffs in those cases, the remedy here is vacatur of the underlying policies themselves, carrying far broader effect. The ruling is expected to have nationwide application. 

Background: Travel Bans and the Adjudication Pause 

To understand the significance of this ruling, it is important to revisit how the challenged policies came about. President Trump issued a proclamation in June 2025 restricting or partially restricting the entry of foreign nationals from nearly 20 countries concentrated in the Middle East, sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Latin America. That list was subsequently expanded to 39 countries through a December 2025 proclamation. USCIS implemented the adjudication pause in late 2025 as part of broader screening and vetting measures, placing a hold on a wide range of immigration benefit requests, including certain applications for adjustment of status, employment authorization, naturalization, and asylum-related benefits. In some cases, the agency's actions also affected previously approved benefits and discretionary adjudications. 

What the Court Found: APA Violations and Arbitrary Agency Action

The court found that USCIS exceeded its authority and violated the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) when it paused adjudications of immigration benefits for nationals of designated countries, directed officers to treat country-specific factors as significant negative considerations in discretionary adjudications, and directed the re-review of previously approved benefit requests for covered nationals who entered the United States on or after January 20, 2021. That last policy created serious uncertainty for individuals who had already received approvals and believed their cases were resolved. The court also found the government's justifications to be arbitrary and capricious, concluding that USCIS failed to provide a reasoned explanation for the policies and did not account for the reliance interests of hundreds of thousands of people whose pending applications were frozen. 

Scope of the Decision: Travel Bans and Enhanced Vetting Remain Intact

The June 5, 2026, decision did not address the underlying travel bans, which remain in effect. Instead, it vacates specific USCIS policies affecting immigration benefit requests filed with that agency. Any applications or petitions filed with USCIS that had been paused because of these policies should now move forward. Social media screening requirements and other enhanced vetting measures that were separately implemented remain operative and are unaffected by this ruling. 

What Comes Next: Monitor for Appeal and Potential Stay

Affected individuals and petitioners should take note of this ruling, while remaining cautious about next steps. The federal government is expected to consider appellate options, and employers and applicants should continue to monitor developments closely. A stay of the court's decision by a higher court remains possible. 

We will continue to monitor this matter and keep you informed as new information becomes available. As always, if you have any questions about your pending application or immigration matter, please do not hesitate to contact our office. 703-348-1663

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