Policy shift lifts hold on many applications months after security-driven crackdown tied to National Guard attack.

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom

The Department of Homeland Security is beginning to scale back a broad pause on asylum processing that was implemented following a deadly attack on National Guard personnel, while maintaining heightened screening protocols for applicants.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has lifted the adjudication hold for many asylum cases after months of suspended processing, according to details first reported by CBS News and confirmed to the Daily Caller News Foundation by a DHS official.

A USCIS spokesperson said that while processing is resuming for certain applicants, strict vetting standards remain in place. The agency stated that “maximum screening and vetting for all aliens continues unabated” and that the change allows resources to be focused on higher-risk cases.

The initial crackdown followed a November incident in which Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national, allegedly opened fire on two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., resulting in the death of one service member and serious injuries to another. DHS later confirmed that the suspect had entered the United States in 2021 under humanitarian parole.

In response to the attack, federal immigration authorities restricted asylum applications and halted immigration processes for individuals from 19 countries designated as high-risk. Additional policy changes included adjustments to work permit timelines for asylum seekers and other foreign nationals.

The administration also launched a vetting center in Atlanta to enhance screening capabilities, with a focus on identifying individuals considered potential threats to national security.

Under the updated policy, asylum processing will resume for applicants from countries not subject to current entry restrictions. However, the adjudication pause remains in effect for individuals from nations included in a travel ban affecting 39 countries, which was expanded by President Donald Trump in December.

In that proclamation, the administration stated that heightened scrutiny is necessary to identify foreign nationals who may pose risks to public safety or national interests prior to entry or admission into the United States.

Officials said the adjustment is intended to balance the resumption of immigration processing with continued emphasis on national security screening, as the government refocuses resources on cases identified as higher risk.