In a decision issued at 06:44 EDT on 7 July, U.S. District Judge Algenon Marbley granted a preliminary injunction blocking the White House from keeping 25 immigrants’ employment authorization and adjustment-of-status cases on indefinite hold. The Ohio lawsuit challenged an internal USCIS memo that froze adjudications for applicants from countries on the expanded travel-ban list. Judge Marbley ruled that the blanket freeze likely exceeds the president’s authority under INA §212(f), which governs entry bans, not benefits for people already lawfully present. He cited statements showing “outright hostility toward immigrants,” concluding that plaintiffs were suffering irreparable harm from lost wages and expiring status. Although the order applies only to the named plaintiffs, it signals skepticism of broader USCIS hold policies and could spur class-action motions. The agency must now resume processing the 25 applications, reopening a path to work authorization and permanent residence. For HR managers, the ruling offers a leverage point: employees caught in similar freezes may ask counsel to file mandamus actions or join forthcoming suits. Companies should track whether USCIS issues new guidance or quietly re-starts other stalled cases to avoid further litigation. The government is expected to appeal to the Sixth Circuit, arguing that national-security concerns justify the pause. If higher courts uphold Judge Marbley’s reasoning, thousands of pending petitions could move forward, easing talent retention headaches for U.S. employers.
Source: El-Balad
