USCIS Benefits Delay Update
USCIS delays are not new. But starting in late 2025, the agency began holding all applications for individuals from certain countries (listed below). These prolonged adjudications have impacted people seeking to renew visas, renew DACA status, petition for a relative, become a beneficiary of an employment-based petition, obtain a change of status, adjust status to lawful permanent resident, or apply for naturalization. Many people have seen their work authorization expire and family milestones pass by while separated.
Individualized Representation
At Ariela Lake, we have successfully challenged the USCIS benefits pause in individual cases for our clients, and have been able to obtain work authorization renewals before expiration so our clients do not have to stop working or lose their jobs. Our clients have seen DACA renewals, adjustment of status grants, and interviews scheduled.
Strength in coordination
We have also teamed up with women from three other law firms—Colombo Hurd, Kanbabai Law, and Green and Spiegel—to form a Women in Immigration Litigation and Law Organization (WILLO) and bring small group challenges. We think our small groups are large enough to prove an unlawful policy, but small enough so our clients’ facts and hardship do not get lost. We currently have cases pending in the District of Massachusetts and the District of Maryland.
Is the pause still in effect?
Since the first lawsuits were filed, courts have consistently found USCIS’s policy to be unlawful. Most recently, the District Court for the District of Rhode Island issued a decision in Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island v. USCIS, which vacated the policy and required USCIS to begin re-adjudicating all paused applications. USCIS has said that it has resumed all adjudications, although we are still seeing significant delays.
While USCIS continues to fight the Dorcas decision, we are equally committed to continue fighting for our clients who are facing significant hardships, the loss of work, family separation, and career interruptions. If you would like to discuss your case, please schedule a consultation or fill our our interest form. If you are an attorney with an impacted client or are litigating a benefits delay matter and want to discuss the litigation, we welcome the conversation.
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Ariela Lake Law & Consulting represents clients in federal district court on immigration matters, including benefits delay and mandamus litigation.