Trump Administration Partially Lifts Asylum Pause

The Trump administration has partially lifted a nationwide pause on asylum processing that had stalled hundreds of thousands of applications, while keeping the suspension in place for applicants from 39 countries facing travel restrictions. The move, announced by the Department of Homeland Security, comes months after an indefinite freeze was imposed in response to a fatal shooting in Washington, D.C.

On November 26, 2025, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who had been granted asylum, allegedly opened fire on two National Guard members near the capital. West Virginia Army National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom died from her injuries the following day, and Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe remained in critical condition. Authorities charged Lakanwal with murder and related offenses, with prosecutors describing the case as strong. The incident prompted the administration to halt all asylum adjudications handled by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, affecting an estimated backlog of nearly 4 million cases filed outside immigration courts.

Department of Homeland Security officials confirmed the partial rollback, stating that the agency has resumed processing for...