The Department of Homeland Security is partially lifting a months-long freeze on asylum application processing.
The freeze was implemented after a deadly November 2025 attack on National Guard members by an Afghan parolee.
Processing will resume for applicants from countries not on an expanded U.S. travel ban list.
Enhanced screening and vetting procedures for all immigrants will remain in full effect.
The policy shift aims to refocus resources on higher-risk cases from designated nations.
In a significant recalibration of border and immigration policy, the Department of Homeland Security has begun scaling back a sweeping suspension of asylum processing that was enacted as an emergency national security measure months ago. The shift, confirmed by officials this week, follows a deadly attack on National Guard personnel in Washington, D.C., which prompted an unprecedented crackdown. While the administration is lifting the adjudication hold for many cases, it emphasizes that rigorous screening protocols for all immigrants remain firmly in place, signaling a continued focus on security within a modified procedural framework.
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