The Hidden Cost of Immigration Delays:
Economic & Human Impact of the USCIS Adjudication Pause

The mother of my 12-year-old child died. I could not travel to be with my child because if I leave the US now, I cannot return. My child cannot join me here because of the adjudication pause.

My family is the most affected. My husband is about to lose his job because they refuse to renew his CDL license. My daughter wanted to go to college to study veterinary medicine, but I can't afford college — it's been three years now, wasted in community college that I'm paying out of pocket. She was so hopeful until now. The whole process is on hold and she ended up being diagnosed with depression. We can't go anywhere.

My I-485 was denied due to a clerical error and we filed an I-290B motion to reopen. But since November 2025, there has been no approval to return my I-485 to pending status. I am currently undergoing severe domestic abuse and have been abandoned by my husband since January 30, 2026. I cannot feed myself. I haven't eaten for two days straight. My husband has cut off everything, including the internet, and says he won't be paying rent next month — so not only am I destitute, but I am also going to be homeless. If only my I-290B would be approved so my I-485 could go back to pending and my EAD could become active again, then I'll be able to survive.

This pause was imposed with no warning and no workable pathway forward. It has stripped our livelihood and any chance of stability, replacing it with indefinite waiting and total uncertainty. We followed immigration law meticulously, worked, paid taxes, and served Americans — including veterans. Now, even our basic safety net is at risk. My spouse depends on employer-based health insurance, and this policy puts that coverage in jeopardy.

I am a physician in training who has lost a residency spot, losing years of hard study and money to secure a position through the Match. My patients lost their primary care physician, and I held an active leadership position in my state medical organization.

My wife is in the military, and the pause is greatly impacting her ability to take jobs outside the country to advance in her career. I planned on joining the military, but the pause has stopped those plans because I am not a resident — despite being married to an active-duty US military member.

I had to withdraw my child from daycare, which is essentially beneficial to his development. My family is dependent on my income and I could not work for six months.

I have had to delay a wedding ceremony and cannot plan for the future as my job future is uncertain.

In this economy, I have managed to get two jobs. The first I lost because of the shutdown in November. The second I am about to lose because of this travel ban. I've lived more of my life here than in my home country. I've worked for the government for over a decade.

This pause has been mentally and physically draining me and my family. My plans for a wedding and having children are delayed. I can't visit my sick family members, and when my family needed me, I couldn't be there.

I am eligible to apply for citizenship, but I am worried that the pause will affect my application. The removal of conditions process takes forever, and I am nervous about what happens after my I-797 expires and I lose my status because of the pause.