A lawsuit has been filed against the Trump administration challenging its decision to pause immigration casework from passport holders on its travel ban list.
The suit was filed by nearly 200 people in Boston federal court, representing the hundreds of thousands living in the U.S. who are in immigration limbo, Axios reported.
It asserts that the suspension of casework by the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is not authorized by immigration or administrative law, Axios reported.
As a result of the suit, those affected say they have been prevented from claiming asylum, getting work authorization, renewing student visas, or processing green cards, which would cause them to be pulled from citizenship ceremonies.
While the plaintiffs acknowledge the Trump administration has a right to bar people from entering the U.S., they question whether it has the right to pause the immigration casework of those already here.
"What is happening right now is just an administration that is bent on tormenting legal immigrants," Jim Hacking, a lead attorney for the case, told Axios.
"People who are 'doing it the right way' are having their lives upended because this agency along with the Department of Homeland Security doesn't want to follow the law," Hacking added.
The Trump administration has placed 39 countries on its travel ban list, citing national security concerns.
"This is another baseless lawsuit that attempts to usurp the President's lawful authority in determining who enters this country," a DHS spokesperson said in a statement.
"USCIS has paused all adjudications for aliens from high-risk countries while USCIS works to ensure that all aliens from these countries are vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible," the spokesperson added.
"The pause will allow for a comprehensive examination of all pending benefit requests for aliens from the designated high-risk countries. The safety of the American people always come[s] first," the spokesperson continued.
Sam Barron ✉
Sam Barron has almost two decades of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, crime and business.
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