A Federal Judge Just Blocked the Move to Strip Work Permits From Asylum Seekers

A federal judge in Boston stepped in one day before new U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services policies were set to strip tens of thousands of asylum seekers and Temporary Protected Status holders of their ability to work legally. The order temporarily freezes the changes while a lawsuit moves forward.

What You Should Know

U.S. District Judge Nathaniel Gorton issued a five-page order on July 21, 2026 in Venezuelan Association of Massachusetts et al. v. USCIS et al., a case brought by the Venezuelan Association of Massachusetts, the National TPS Alliance, the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project and two SEIU locals, according to JURIST. The suit, filed by the legal group Democracy Forward, challenges USCIS policies implementing portions of the 2025 budget law known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

The challenged policies would let USCIS reject asylum applications and terminate work permits when applicants miss a newly created annual asylum fee, and would apply the changes to certain TPS holders, JURIST reported. Plaintiffs argue USCIS adopted them without the public notice-and-comment process the law requires.

The System Under Pressure

Gorton did not block USCIS from collecting the new asylum fee itself, but he froze the penalties for nonpayment, including application rejections, work-permit terminations and the start of removal proceedings, according to Al Jazeera. “The consequences faced by plaintiffs are potentially severe,” Gorton wrote.

The ruling is the latest court fight over the administration’s immigration policy. The Supreme Court in June allowed the administration to end TPS for Haitian and Syrian nationals in a 6-3 decision, according to JURIST.

The Receipts

“This decision protects thousands of asylum seekers and TPS holders from immediate and irreparable harm while this case moves forward,” Democracy Forward president Skye Perryman said in a statement cited by JURIST and Al Jazeera. USCIS had not publicly responded to the order, both outlets reported.

What Happens Next

Gorton’s temporary order stays in effect while he weighs a longer-term injunction, with a ruling expected by August 5, according to JURIST and Al Jazeera. That decision will determine whether the fee-related work-permit terminations and removal proceedings resume for tens of thousands of asylum seekers and TPS holders.

References: JURIST | Al Jazeera