Immigration News Roundup: Court Vacates USCIS Benefit Freezes, Gold Card Launches

Accurate as of June 1, 2026. Immigration rules change quickly, so confirm current details with an immigration attorney before you act.

June opened with a courtroom defeat for the administration's adjudication pause, the launch of a new residency track, and a proposed rule that would tighten access to work permits. Here is your roundup.

Federal Court Vacates Four USCIS "Hold" Policies

On June 5, a federal court in Rhode Island issued a sweeping decision in Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island v. USCIS, striking down four USCIS policies that had frozen the adjudication of immigration benefits, including work permits, adjustment of status, naturalization, and asylum, particularly for nationals of dozens of travel-ban and "high-risk" countries.

The court vacated the Benefits Hold Policy, the Global Asylum Hold Policy, the Comprehensive Re-Review Policy, and the Country-Specific Factors Policy, finding them contrary to law and arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedure Act. The relief is nationwide, and the court entered final judgment on June 11.

If your case had been stuck without explanation and you are from one of the affected countries, this ruling may allow it to move again, though the government is expected to seek a stay pending appeal.

Gold Card Program Adds 16 New Admission Classes

On June 1, USCIS announced 16 new classes of admission for the "Gold Card" program. Under the framework, certain individuals obtain permanent residence through the existing EB-1A or EB-2 national interest waiver categories by making an unrestricted gift to the Department of Commerce.

One point is easy to miss: applicants still must meet the underlying EB-1A or EB-2 NIW standards and remain subject to the annual green card caps. The gift does not bypass those requirements. The new admission classes appear on the permanent resident card and in the government's status-verification systems.

Proposed Rule Would Restrict Work Authorization

Also on June 5, DHS published a proposed rule, "Clarification of Discretionary Employment Authorization for Certain Aliens." It would narrow eligibility for employment authorization for people paroled into the U.S., those granted deferred action, and those released under supervision on final removal orders.

The proposal would treat certain criminal history as disqualifying absent a countervailing public interest, require biometrics with FBI checks, and shorten work permit validity periods. It is a proposed rule, not yet in effect, with a public comment period open through August 4.

What Should You Do This Week?

1. Applicants from travel-ban and high-risk countries: check whether your stalled case falls under the vacated hold policies.
2. High-achieving professionals and investors: the Gold Card runs through EB-1A and EB-2 NIW, so the underlying eligibility standards still apply.
3. Parolees, deferred-action recipients, and EAD applicants: review the proposed work-authorization rule and consider submitting a comment before August 4.