Community Advisory on Immigration-Related Announcements

by | Dec 2, 2025 | 2025 Response

12/3/2025

NEW POLICY MEMO BY USCIS 

On December 2, 2025 USCIS released a memo which made immediate changes to immigration policies. 

What has changed 

  • All asylum applications are on hold – regardless of country of origin. Any asylum application that is pending with USCIS will not receive a decision. Applicants can expect to continue to receive correspondence from USCIS regarding their applications, including interview appointments. The hold on asylum applications does not include asylum applications with the Immigration Courts and these will continue to be processed by the courts. 
  • No immigration benefits for certain immigrants – There has been a halt to all immigration benefits for immigrants from the 19 countries on travel ban list.* This includes all applications made to USCIS, such as work permit applications, citizenship applications, petitions for family members, and employment-based visas. 
  • Re-examination of certain previously approved immigrants – Re-review and in some cases re-interviews of previously approved cases for immigrants from the 19 countries on the travel ban list.* In some instances, USCIS may withdraw previous approvals and refer applicants to court. 

All of the above applications are to undergo thorough screening and review. If you fit into any of the categories above, you should expect to get called in for several interviews as well as background investigation, which could include review of social media accounts, practice of religion, associates and various contacts, and political ideologies. Any concerns about country of origin will be viewed as a negative factor. 

The hold on applications is indefinite and there is no indication of when this will be lifted. 

12/2/2025

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, Washington state chapter (CAIR-WA) is closely tracking the recent immigration-related announcements made by President Trump after the tragic National Guard shooting in Washington, D.C. on November 24. These announcements have understandably caused concern, confusion, and uncertainty within our community. 

At this time, we want to reassure the Muslim community that public statements and proposals do not have legal force until they are implemented through official policy or regulatory action. However, we do understand that inflammatory public statements can lead to increased discrimination and hate against Muslim and immigrant communities. Please reach out to CAIR-WA at (206) 367-4081 or cairwa.org/gethelp if you or someone you know experiences hate or discrimination. 

What has changed 

As of 12/2/2025, the only official change that has been issued is the following.  

On November 27, USCIS announced new guidance, based on President Trump’s June 2025 Travel Ban, that allows immigration officers to look more closely at applicants from certain countries they consider “high-risk.” There are 19 countries on this list.* 

Under this guidance, officers can consider negative factors that are specific to a person’s home country when deciding an immigration case. 

This means that if you are from one of these countries, USCIS may look at issues such as security concerns, instability, terrorism-related activity in that country, or other risks the government believes are associated with that region. This does not mean you will automatically be denied, but it means your case may receive extra scrutiny, and officers may ask for more evidence or explanations. 

FBI Contact 

CAIR-WA is also aware that there are concerns regarding FBI visits to community members. Please visit our extensive know-your-rights information regarding FBI and law enforcement here. If you are contacted by the FBI or law enforcement, please contact CAIR-WA. 

Support from CAIR-WA 

CAIR-WA is actively monitoring all developments and will provide timely updates once clear, concrete guidelines or policies are released. As soon as USCIS or other agencies publish actionable information, we will share detailed guidance to help our community understand any impacts and next steps. 

If you have specific concerns about your immigration case, or how any of the new announcements affect your individual case, please contact CAIR-WA at (206) 367-4081 or cairwa.org/gethelp to schedule a legal consultation. Our team is here to support you, answer questions, and ensure you receive accurate, individualized guidance. 

We remain committed to protecting the rights, safety, and dignity of our community. 

Please stay connected with us for further updates. 

*These 19 countries are: Afghanistan, Burundi, Chad, Cuba, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Myanmar, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, and Yemen.