Status as of October 28, 2026: A proposed class-action lawsuit filed October 26 challenges USCIS policies that have frozen certain refugees' permanent-residence applications and called for their renewed screening. A judge has temporarily paused a separate 10-day refugee-status termination rule, but has not ordered an end to the green-card hold or re-vetting.
Thousands of people admitted to the United States as refugees remain uncertain when their green-card applications will move forward. On October 26, six refugee-service and advocacy organizations and four individual refugees filed a proposed class-action lawsuit in federal court in Massachusetts, seeking to overturn policies that they say block lawful refugees from obtaining permanent residence and subject them to repeated eligibility reviews.
Which green-card cases are at issue?
According to the complaint in Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans v. Edlow, No. 1:26-cv-14817, an internal USCIS memorandum dated November 21, 2025, ordered an indefinite hold on pending adjustment-of-status applications filed by people admitted as refugees during the Biden administration. The same directive called for review and possible re-interviews of previously admitted refugees.
The plaintiffs argue that these policies exceeded the agency's authority and violate federal administrative law and due-process protections. Those are allegations in the lawsuit, not findings by the court. USCIS's position will be addressed through the litigation. The complaint cites roughly 113,000 pending refugee adjustment applications as a broader government-reported figure; it does not establish that all 113,000 are affected by this particular hold.
Why does this matter for refugee families?
Refugees generally are required to apply for adjustment after one year in the United States and, if eligible, can become lawful permanent residents. Delayed adjudication can leave families without clarity about their path to permanent residence and future citizenship. The named plaintiffs describe pending applications and concerns about additional screening and potential loss of protection. The filing does not establish that every refugee's status or work authorization has been terminated.
The groups bringing the case include Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, HIAS, Refugee Council USA, African Communities Together, International Institute of New England, and Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts. The case seeks to proceed on behalf of a larger class, but filing a class action is not the same as judicial certification of the class.
What has the court actually done?
On October 27, a federal judge issued a temporary stay of DHS's separate rule shortening the response period for a Notice of Intent to Terminate refugee status from 30 to 10 days. The stay runs through November 6, subject to further court action. It does not itself lift the adjustment-of-status hold, require new green-card decisions, or prohibit all refugee re-vetting. The requested broader relief remains unresolved.
Someone whose refugee adjustment case is pending should keep USCIS notices and copies of filings, review official case-status information and seek qualified assistance for any individual deadlines or notices. The lawsuit alone does not guarantee a processing date or approval.
Related coverage: The 10-day refugee termination rule first announced in October. Its subsequent temporary court stay is a separate legal development.