DHS Lifts Freeze on Benefits for Ukrainians, Other Parolees

The Department of Homeland Security has reopened processing of benefits, including applications for asylum and employment-based green cards, for immigrants admitted to the US through Biden-era humanitarian parole programs.

Angelica Alfonso-Royals, acting director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services, authorized adjudication of pending benefit requests in memo issued Monday, the agency told a federal district court. The memo covers immigrants paroled through the Uniting for Ukraine and Family Reunification Parole programs as well as a process for Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan, and Venezuelan parolees.

It comes in response to litigation brought by a group of immigrants and US citizen sponsors challenging the Trump administration’s plans to dismantle those programs and a Feb. 14 memo freezing adjudication of benefits for recipients. While the memo allows for processing of parole renewals, initial claims and sponsor applications remain on hold, according to the declaration from USCIS.

District Judge Indira Talwani issued a May 28 preliminary injunction directing the Department of Homeland Security to lift the pause on benefits. She issued an order last week directing the agency to let the court know what steps it was taking to comply after plaintiffs said no action had been taken.

Talwani in April also temporarily blocked DHS from revoking parole status for immigrants from CHNV applicants. The US Supreme Court on May 30 granted an emergency request from Secretary Kristi Noem allowing the agency to move ahead with the terminations.

Plaintiffs in the litigation are represented by Justice Action Center, Human Rights First, and Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP. The Department of Homeland Security is represented by attorneys with the Department of Justice.

The case is Doe v. Noem, D. Mass., No. 1:25-cv-10495, declaration filed 6/9/25.