More than 100 Democratic lawmakers are urging the Trump administration to lift an indefinite pause on immigration and citizenship applications that has adversely affected thousands of vetted immigrants.
WASHINGTON — Over 100 Democratic lawmakers are calling on the Trump administration to immediately reverse an indefinite pause on immigration and citizenship applications. This suspension has disrupted the lives of thousands of legally vetted immigrants from countries affected by President Donald Trump’s latest travel ban.
In a strongly worded letter dated December 18, addressed to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joseph Edlow, members of Congress expressed their concerns about the widespread confusion, family separations, and emotional distress caused by this decision. Many applicants had already completed all necessary legal steps toward permanent residency or U.S. citizenship.
The lawmakers highlighted that the announcement made by USCIS on December 2 led to the abrupt suspension of green card processing, the cancellation of naturalization interviews, and the halting of citizenship oath ceremonies. They argue that these actions appear to be based solely on the applicants’ national origin.
“Despite the Trump administration’s claims of going after the ‘worst of the worst,’ it is attacking the very people who have followed every process and undergone extensive and repeated vetting to secure legal status,” the lawmakers wrote. “This sweeping action is unjustified, discriminatory, and inconsistent with our nation’s founding principles.”
The letter was spearheaded by Rep. Pramila Jayapal, the ranking member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security and Enforcement, along with Rep. Lizzie Fletcher of Texas. It details numerous reports from across the country of immigrants being informed—often without explanation—that their cases had been placed on hold.
In some troubling accounts, lawmakers noted that individuals who had already passed their naturalization exams were removed from oath ceremonies just moments before they were set to formally become U.S. citizens.
“These naturalization ceremonies are a time of celebration, as soon-to-be U.S. citizens welcome their friends and family to witness their achievement,” the letter stated. “To deny this monumental milestone—after years, and sometimes decades, of waiting—is a slap in the face.”
Lawmakers emphasized that many affected applicants had already undergone extensive background checks, security screenings, and moral character reviews, leaving them stunned when their cases were suddenly frozen.
Beyond the human impact, members of Congress criticized USCIS for its lack of transparency regarding the scope and duration of the pause. According to the letter, the agency has not clarified how long the suspension will last, whether additional vetting is being conducted, or why previously approved cases are being reconsidered.
“Without clarity on how long this broad pause will last, soon-to-be citizens will be left in limbo in perpetuity, and families will be forced to remain separated,” the lawmakers warned.
They added that the move has created fear among applicants that falling out of legal status while waiting could expose them to enforcement action, despite having fully complied with U.S. immigration law.
Rep. Angie Craig accused the administration of deliberately obstructing lawful pathways to citizenship, arguing that the policy unfairly targets immigrants who “have followed the law and completed the necessary steps to achieve legal status.”
In their letter, lawmakers demanded detailed responses from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and USCIS by December 31. They requested information on the number of green card, naturalization, and immigration cases affected, how many citizenship ceremonies have been canceled or postponed, whether any new background or security checks are being imposed, and guarantees that applicants will not lose eligibility or face enforcement while waiting.
Reps. Jayapal and Fletcher stated that the decision has “caused chaos across the country,” particularly in immigrant communities that believed they were nearing the end of a long and difficult legal process.
The pause is linked to President Trump’s renewed travel ban, which restricts travel and legal immigration from 19 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Somalia, and Yemen. Lawmakers noted that additional countries were later added or subjected to partial restrictions.
This policy revives one of Trump’s most controversial immigration strategies from his first term, when sweeping travel bans triggered mass protests and legal challenges before being upheld in a narrower form by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Critics argue that the current pause goes even further by affecting individuals already inside the United States who had been approved to advance in the legal immigration process.
“No amount of vetting, moral character, or commitment to this country and its democratic values appears to be enough to satisfy this administration,” the lawmakers wrote.
As immigration once again becomes a defining political issue, Democrats assert that the USCIS pause undermines trust in the legal immigration system and sends a chilling message to those who believed that following the rules would lead to stability and citizenship.
With pressure mounting from Congress, immigrant advocacy groups, and affected families, the administration now faces renewed scrutiny over whether it will reverse course or allow the pause to continue indefinitely, leaving thousands of future Americans waiting at the final step, according to Global Net News.