Recent Policy news

On Wednesday, Nov. 26, two National Guard members were shot in Washington, D.C. Guard member Sarah Beckstrom died from her injuries a day later, and guard member Andrew Wolfe remains in critical condition. News reports confirmed the shooter was an Afghan national who previously worked with the CIA in Afghanistan and arrived in the U.S. through Operation Allies Welcome, a program to evacuate Afghans who helped the U.S. government after the Taliban regained control in 2021.

In the days after the shooting, the Trump administration announced sweeping policy changes impacting legal immigration pathways, including extending his administration’s travel ban, pausing immigration applications for Afghans, reviewing green cards of people from certain countries, pausing all asylum decisions regardless of the applicant’s country of origin, and shortening work permits. While formal guidance has not yet been issued for most policy changes, we’re sharing what we know so far, and we will continue to provide updates.

1. President Trump expanded the travel ban to include full restrictions on five additional countries and partial restrictions on 12 countries.

On Dec. 16, President Trump issued a proclamation expanding the 19 countries included in his original travel ban from June. The latest proclamation expands a full travel ban to five countries and people with Palestinian Authority-issued travel documents, and it includes partial restrictions on 15 countries. The new proclamation takes effect on Jan. 1, 2026.

a. Countries included in the June 2025 travel ban: Afghanistan, Burma (Myanmar), Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

b. Countries with full restrictions identified in the December 2025 travel ban: Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria, as well as people with travel documents issued by the Palestinian Authority. The Trump administration expanded restrictions from partial to full against Laos and Sierra Leone.

c. The Trump administration added partial restrictions and energy limitations on 15 additional countries: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cote d'Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

2. On Dec. 4, USCIS announced it is shortening work permits from five years to 18 months.

USCIS is reducing Employment Authorization Documents for some newcomers from five years to 18 months to more frequently vet individuals applying for work authorization. This change does not apply to existing work permits. Effective Dec. 5, 2025, applications for work permits will be limited to 18 months for:

• Newcomers with refugee status
• Asylees, newcomers with pending applications for asylum or withholding of removal
• Newcomers granted withholding of deportation or removal
• Newcomers with pending applications for adjustment of status under INA 245
• Newcomers with pending applications for suspension of deportation, cancellation of removal, or relief under the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act.

3. On Nov. 26, USCIS announced on social media it would stop processing all immigration requests from Afghan nationals.

The announcement from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) pauses applications for asylum, green cards, work authorization, and Special Immigrant Visas. The Trump administration had already restricted immigration for people from Afghanistan. One of the few remaining reliable pathways was Special Immigrant Visas, which provided safety to Afghans who supported the U.S. during the war effort in Afghanistan. But given this announcement, all pathways for Afghans have been paused.

4. On. Nov. 27, USCIS Director Joseph Edlow said on social media that President Trump directed the agency to reexamine every green-card holder from the 19 countries listed in President Trump’s travel ban that was announced in June.

[Link to Joseph Edlow's social media post] [Link to June 2025 travel ban announcement]

The travel ban fully restricts and limits the entry of nationals from: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Countries with partial restrictions include Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

On Nov. 27, USCIS also issued new guidance that could make it more difficult for people from the 19 countries impacted by the travel ban to apply for green cards.

5. On Nov. 28, USCIS Director Joseph Edlow announced on social media a pause in all asylum decisions.

Edlow said decisions would be paused until all asylum seekers are “vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible.” The department also said it would review all asylum cases approved during the Biden administration.

6. President Trump has said on social media that he will seek action against some immigrants and naturalized citizens.

In a social media post, President Trump said he would end federal benefits for non-citizens, denaturalize “migrants who undermine domestic tranquility,” and deport immigrants who are “non-compatible with Western Civilization.”

7. On Nov. 24, news reports indicated the administration plans to review refugees admitted under the Biden administration.

Recent news reports cited a memo from USCIS saying it would review all refugees admitted to the U.S. during the Biden administration, which is approximately 200,000 cases. All refugees admitted since the program launched in 1980 have undergone extensive vetting.

We’ll continue to share updates as we have them, including analysis of how policy changes will impact newcomers and the communities who welcomed them. Watch our on-demand webinar to gain a deeper understanding of these new policies and what you can do today to support your new neighbors.

NOVEMBER 2025

1. The Trump administration is capping refugee admissions at 7,500 people.

What happened: On Oct. 31, President Trump released the refugee admissions cap, limiting entry to 7,500 refugees for the fiscal year 2026 (Oct. 1, 2025–Sept. 30, 2026). This safe and legal pathway, and the ceiling set by the president for the last 45 years, has allowed many Americans to offer safety and hope to newcomers fleeing danger, violence, and persecution.

Earlier news reports stated the president would issue the presidential determination after the government shutdown ended, and he could consult with Congress as required. Although there is ongoing disagreement about whether the official consultation occurred, the presidential determination finalizing the refugee admissions cap was issued on Oct. 31.

President Trump paused all refugee admissions in Jan. 2025 and said admissions would only be restarted if in the best interest of the U.S. He later allowed the resettlement of more than 100 Afrikaners from South Africa. While President Trump's determination on the refugee admissions cap does not provide details on refugee processing for those already in the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) pipeline, it said most of the refugees admitted will be Afrikaners from South Africa, “and other victims of illegal or unjust discrimination in their respective homelands.”

Why it matters: Each fall, the president determines how many refugees the United States will aim to welcome through USRAP in the coming year. The cap of 7,500 is a historic low in the program’s history and will delay thousands of families from reaching safety in the U.S.

2. The government shutdown will impact federal food assistance in November.

What happened: The ongoing government shutdown is impacting the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and many of the 42 million people enrolled in SNAP did not receive benefits beginning on Nov. 1. However, two federal judges ruled over the weekend that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) must use its contingency funds to keep SNAP running.

Additionally, changes to SNAP eligibility made through H.R.1, often called the “big, beautiful bill," went into effect on Nov. 1. Many newcomers, including certain refugees, asylum seekers, and humanitarian parolees, will no longer be eligible for food assistance.

What it means: The impact of the shutdown and new eligibility rules from H.R.1 vary by state. The court rulings require the federal government to use emergency funds to deliver at least some SNAP payments for November, though the court gave the USDA discretion on whether to issue full or reduced benefits. Delays are still likely, as reloading SNAP cards can take time.

Some states, like New Mexico and New York, are stepping in with temporary state-funded food aid or emergency food bank support to bridge the gap. To get up-to-date information on SNAP benefits in your state, go directly to your state’s Department of Human Services (or equivalent) website. They may have a “shutdown update” or “SNAP news” section. Everyday Americans are also organizing across the country to help stave off food insecurity among their neighbors.

3. DHS ended the automatic extension of employment authorization.

What happened: As of Oct. 30, the Department of Homeland Security announced it will end the automatic extension of Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) for most newcomers who apply to renew them.

What it means: Before the new rule, EAD renewal applicants could continue working for up to 540 days after their old card expired while waiting for the new one to be approved. The automatic work authorization will no longer apply to renewal applications filed on or after Oct. 30. This change means many newcomers could experience gaps in their ability to work while waiting for the renewal to be processed.

This change impacts asylum seekers, refugees, and green card applicants. Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients may still receive limited automatic extensions, but these will be shorter and depend on specific government announcements related to each individual TPS designation. The change does not apply to newcomers who currently have an EAD through their humanitarian parole status, as their EADs were never eligible for automatic extensions.