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A federal judge in Rhode Island on Friday struck down a slate of immigration policies enacted by the Trump administration, writing that it had left immigrants living in the United States in \u201cindeterminate legal limbo\u201d because of \u201canti-immigrant sentiments that it is forbidden from letting influence its decision-making.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a searing 135-page opinion<\/a>, Judge John J. McConnell Jr. wrote that actions to lock eligible asylum seekers out of the immigration system and deny others temporary work permits had made it functionally impossible for a broad swath of people to remain in the country. The resulting squeeze, he wrote, \u201cplaced the lives of countless individuals on hold \u2014 solely by virtue of their countries of birth.\u201d<\/p>\n The policies, enacted by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, included a global hold on asylum applications filed with the agency. It also paused decisions on immigration applications filed by people from the 39 countries subject to the president\u2019s travel ban, halting their ability to obtain green cards, U.S. citizenship and other benefits.<\/p>\n The policies were announced<\/a> in November shortly after the authorities said an Afghan national shot two National Guard members in Washington. The man, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, has pleaded not guilty<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n