Immigration: protests, recent court rulings, and increased federal operations

USCIS orders suspension of decisions on asylum cases

• What we know: On November 28, USCIS Director Joseph B. Edlow announced on his Twitter account the suspension of all asylum decisions until, according to him, “we can ensure that all foreign nationals are vetted and screened to the greatest extent possible.”
• Why it matters: The review of cases under the Trump administration’s standards has raised concerns among immigrant organizations, which warn that it could put more people at risk of deportation. The pause could also delay thousands of pending decisions and prolong the uncertainty for those who have already had their interviews.
• Who it affects: Asylum seekers who have already attended their interviews and are awaiting a decision on their cases.

Protests in Charlotte following arrests and use of “verification tasks”

• What we know: On November 15, 2025, federal agents launched a massive immigration operation in Charlotte, North Carolina. In the following days, at least 250 arrests were reported throughout the county. In response, migrant and neighboring communities organized a protest on November 17 with more than a hundred participants.
• Why it matters: The raids caused widespread fear in immigrant neighborhoods, school closures, business closures, and a wave of absenteeism among Latino students. People reported indiscriminate arrests, including of US citizens, and accused the “verification tasks” of becoming mechanisms for racial profiling and harassment.
• Who it affects: Migrant families in Charlotte — workers, students, small business owners — and Latino communities living in white surveillance zones, as well as those who depend on their income or the school system.

Court ordered to resume deportation protection program for vulnerable immigrants

• What we know: A federal court ordered the government to resume a program that offers temporary protection from deportation to immigrants considered vulnerable, i.e., people facing serious humanitarian risks such as minors, survivors of violence, people with serious medical conditions, or those who lack family support and could be in danger if deported. The administration had halted its implementation without sufficient legal justification, and the court ruled that it must be reinstated immediately. The ruling notes that the pause affected people who depend on the program to avoid deportation while they pursue their immigration cases.
• Why it matters: The decision provides a key immigration relief to people in situations of extreme risk and corrected an interruption that the court deemed unlawful.
• Who it affects: Vulnerable immigrants enrolled in or eligible for this type of protection, including young people and individuals facing serious humanitarian risks.

Federal judge rules that pause in processing SIJS youth was illegal

• What we know: A federal judge ruled that the pause in processing applications for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) — a decision made by the Trump administration — was illegal, according to NY Focus. The court indicated that the government did not have the authority to halt the cases.
• Why it matters: Thousands of young people who depend on SIJS to regularize their status will be able to continue moving forward with their immigration processes. SIJS is a program for minors who have been victims of abuse, abandonment, or neglect, offering them a path to permanent residency.
• Who it affects: Young immigrants who applied for SIJS and were affected by the pause in processing implemented by the Trump administration in early November 2025.

Local and developing news

• USCIS will rigorously and extensively reexamine green cards issued to individuals from 19 countries. USCIS announced an intensive review of permanent residences granted to citizens of countries considered “high risk,” although details on how the review will be conducted are not yet known, as the measure is still being developed.
• New Orleans: Border Patrol conducts operations in swampy areas. Agents used boats and special equipment to detain migrants in hard-to-reach areas near the city. Agents made arrests in residential areas as part of a larger operation.
• Chicago: Judge blocks federal request in Midway Blitz case. A court refused to halt the release of more than 400 people detained during the operation at Midway Airport.
• Dallas: Migrant injured in a shooting inside an ICE facility dies. One of the migrants wounded in the incident died while the federal investigation into the incident continued.
• Deportations continue despite the partial government shutdown. An analysis revealed that ICE maintained high levels of deportation during the federal shutdown, using internal systems to continue operations, even though parts of its system malfunctioned and unstable data created confusion about numbers and pending cases.

Resources

• Visit the National Domestic Workers Alliance’s “Know Your Rights” platform, which includes immigrant rights, immigration options, a legal aid directory, and more. To access it, visit ndwa.us/rights. Note: The National Domestic Workers Alliance is the partner organization of La Alianza
• Learn how to recognize fake news about immigration and avoid misinformation with this guide: How to Identify Fake News About Immigration and Avoid Misinformation

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