Major federal decisions this week reshaped immigration protections, expanded surveillance powers, and raised urgent privacy concerns. These shifts affect communities and ecosystems—and they demand our attention.
Amid ongoing policy changes that touch classrooms, communities, and households, urgent Congressional action is needed to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits. Health insurance price hikes are set to take effect January 1, leaving very little time for extensions to be implemented in a way that allows people to enroll in coverage. Elected officials need to hear from their constituents—use our Phone to Action tool to help protect these vital supports.
Processing Pause: Millions Face Uncertainty as USCIS Halts Core Immigration Pathways
USCIS has issued an unprecedented pause on the processing of green cards, citizenship, asylum, and other immigration benefits for individuals from 19 countries: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. The memo also requires USCIS to re-review previously approved cases for people from these countries who entered the U.S. after January 20, 2021. This “re-review” could include new interviews, referrals to enforcement agencies, or even efforts to revoke previously granted benefits, including citizenship.
The policy effectively freezes immigration pathways for both new applicants and people whose benefits were already approved, creating widespread uncertainty and legal vulnerability. Lawful permanent residents, naturalization candidates, and asylum seekers now face the risk of delays, case reopening, or enforcement action, threatening family stability, work authorization, and access to basic rights. The move is likely to deter members of affected communities from applying for benefits or participating in civic life, while placing enormous new burdens on lawyers, immigrant rights organizations, and community advocates navigating these unpredictable rules.
Alongside country-specific restrictions, the administration has also paused decisions on all affirmative asylum applications handled by USCIS. This affects roughly 1.5 million pending cases, while about 2.4 million continue to move forward for now. Federal officials describe the pause as temporary, intended to review screening procedures, but no end date or guidance has been provided. The move reverses prior efforts to speed up asylum processing and will likely cause indefinite delays, affecting work authorizations, family stability, and long-term immigration status.
As if these delays weren’t enough, new rules on employment authorization add another layer of uncertainty. Effective December 5, 2025, USCIS will reduce the maximum validity periods for Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) to allow for more frequent screening and vetting. For applications filed on or after that date, initial and renewal EADs will be limited to 18 months. This reduction applies to refugees, individuals granted asylum, individuals granted withholding of deportation or removal, individuals with pending asylum or withholding applications, individuals with pending adjustment applications under INA section 245, and individuals with pending applications for suspension of deportation, cancellation of removal, or NACARA relief.
For other immigrant groups, shorter EAD validity periods will apply to applications filed on or after July 22, 2025. Initial and renewal EADs will be limited to one year or to the end date of the authorized parole period or the duration of TPS if it’s under one year. This reduction applies to individuals paroled as refugees, individuals granted TPS, individuals granted parole, individuals with pending TPS applications, and spouses of entrepreneur parolees.
Finally, the administration has moved to terminate TPS for nationals of Myanmar and Haiti—further stripping protections from communities already facing instability. The U.S. government has announced the termination of TPS for nationals of Myanmar and Haiti despite ongoing civil war and unrest. Approximately 4,000 Myanmar TPS holders will lose protections on January 26, 2026, and about 330,735 Haitian TPS holders on February 3, 2026. Termination ends work authorization and relief from deportation, putting families and livelihoods at risk and forcing many to return to dangerous conditions. These terminations are expected to face legal challenges, with past cases citing derogatory statements about Haitians as evidence of racial animus.
Dangerous Rhetoric and Immigration Raids Undermine Community Safety
These actions come as federal immigration agents began targeted enforcement operations in the New Orleans and Minneapolis areas. Minneapolis — home to one of the largest Somali communities in the U.S. — was among the first cities targeted. The operations began just as President Trump escalated his public attacks on Somali immigrants, stating during a December 2 Cabinet meeting that he wanted them “out of here,” calling them people who “destroy our country” and “complain, complain, complain.” He went further, claiming Somali immigrants “aren’t people that work” or contribute to the nation. He pledged to revoke Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somalis living in the U.S., even though that protection currently covers a small number, recent estimates show just 705 Somalis nationally under TPS.
This rhetoric and enforcement posture not only heighten fear and uncertainty but also increase the risk of hate crimes and discrimination against Somali-Americans and other immigrant communities. It underscores the urgent need for education and advocacy to counter harmful narratives and promote inclusion. To learn how communities are responding and working towards justice, please watch “Voice for Peace: A Call for Change,” a documentary created by Somali Family Service of San Diego.
While the termination of TPS strips thousands of migrants of legal status and stability, courts are simultaneously weighing in on detention practices—offering a rare check on executive power. A federal judge ruled the administration must provide bond hearings to migrants detained under a July 2025 policy that denied release. The court found the policy unlawful for treating long-time U.S. residents as recent arrivals, subjecting them to mandatory detention without bond. The decision applies nationwide, restoring due-process protections and reducing prolonged detentions for thousands of migrants with community ties.
Foreign Terror Designations Expand Domestic Powers
The U.S. State Department designated four small European anti-fascist groups as Specially Designated Global Terrorists and plans to list them as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, despite no evidence of U.S. activity. This is the first time groups linked to the “antifa” label have been added to U.S. terrorism lists. The president also issued an executive order on November 24 labeling certain chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood in Lebanon, Egypt, and Jordan as terrorist organizations. This comes as Congress debates legislation with a more expansive terror designation for the Muslim Brotherhood.
These designations activate statutory tools, including sanctions, surveillance authority, and criminal penalties for “material support” that can be applied domestically. The vagueness of the labels allows authorities to scrutinize nonprofits, mosques, universities, and community organizations, chilling or potentially penalizing lawful advocacy, donations, and civic participation. Immigrant and marginalized communities face heightened risk, as routine organizing, protest, or community engagement may be interpreted as indirect support, exposing them to immigration, enforcement, or investigative actions.
Arab American, Muslim American, and Palestinian-rights communities are particularly affected. For decades, these communities have faced persistent federal surveillance and scrutiny. Expanding domestic powers under the pretext of foreign terror, with vague and broad designations, continues to threaten civil liberties, equal protection, and community stability.
Privacy & Data: Federal Push Raises Major Privacy Risk
The Federal Government is escalating efforts to obtain sensitive data from states, sparking lawsuits and privacy battles. The Department of Justice filed a new lawsuit against six new states— Delaware, Maryland, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington— accusing them of failing to turn over statewide voter registration lists. In total, 14 states have been sued, including California, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, New Hampshire, Oregon and Pennsylvania.
Similarly, the USDA has warned that it will begin withholding administrative funds for states that refuse to provide detailed data on SNAP recipients — including names and immigration status. The move targets states resisting the demand over privacy concerns. While benefit payments remain unaffected, loss of administrative funds could disrupt program delivery. Twenty-two states and D.C. have filed a suit to block the data demand, and a federal judge has issued a temporary injunction. These disputes highlight growing federal-state tensions and raise serious concerns about voter privacy and immigrant data security.
Supreme Court Upholds Texas Redistricting Map, Will Hear Birthright Citizenship Case
The U.S. Supreme Court has allowed Texas to use its new congressional map for the 2026 elections, ruling on December 4 in a 6-3 decision that the lower court applied the wrong standard and acted too close to candidate-filing deadlines. Three justices dissented, noting that the lower court had found significant evidence that race improperly influenced several districts. The decision signals that the Court will continue to limit lower-court intervention in redistricting disputes, even when those courts identify potential racial gerrymandering.
Lastly, the Supreme Court this afternoon agreed to hear a challenge to birthright citizenship next year as was expected. The case stems from President Trump’s January 2025 executive order, which tried to end automatic citizenship for people born in the United States to certain categories of non-citizen parents. Birthright citizenship is guaranteed by the Constitution and remains fully in effect regardless of ancestry, and it is extremely unlikely the Court will allow the president to take it away simply by executive order. We will continue providing updates, including when oral arguments are scheduled and any major developments.