Federal judge blocks USCIS rule giving refugees only 10 days to challenge loss of status

Boston — A federal judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked a U.S. government rule that cut from 30 to just 10 days the time refugees have to challenge the termination of their legal status, the Reuters news agency reported.

District Judge Julia Kobick, of Boston, ordered the rule — issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on October 14 — suspended through November 6, to preserve the status quo while another judge hears the case. The temporary order also bars action on short-deadline notices already sent since the rule took effect.

The lawsuit was filed on Monday by refugee advocacy groups, which are challenging the rule and a broader plan to review refugee cases. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees USCIS, the new rule could affect as many as 186,000 refugees.

Erez Reuveni, a lawyer for the plaintiffs from the organization Democracy Forward, said the decision "provides meaningful protection for people who were already facing termination notices." In contrast, USCIS spokesperson Zach Kahler called the lawsuit "a frivolous attempt to disrupt the Trump administration's commitment to enforce our country's immigration laws as intended by Congress," while DHS did not respond to Reuters' request for comment.

For affected families, the difference between 10 and 30 days is decisive: within that window they must find a lawyer, gather documents from abroad and translate paperwork, and the rule itself provides no appeal inside USCIS against the termination of status. The case will continue in court, and the next key date is November 6, when the temporary stay expires.

Photo: Immigration Analytics

Source: Reuters