The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officially confirmed that it is resuming the processing of immigration benefits -including citizenship and naturalization- for Cubans and Venezuelans.
This is reflected in a letter dated July 16 and addressed to the Republican Congresswoman from Florida María Elvira Salazar, who posted the document on her social media.
The USCIS letter
The document, signed by the USCIS Director's Office in Camp Springs, Maryland, responds to a request that Salazar had sent to the Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, on March 27, 2025 - officially received on April 13, 2026 - in which he requested three specific actions:
- resume the processing of citizenship applications for Cubans and Venezuelans.
- maintain security verification measures without halting naturalization.
- reactivate the naturalization ceremonies in Miami.
In its response, USCIS was explicit: «Processing for Cubans and Venezuelans should resume accordingly», meaning that processing for Cubans and Venezuelans must resume accordingly. The agency also stated that «it is taking immediate steps to lift all final adjudication suspensions that were still in effect».
Regarding the naturalization ceremonies, USCIS clarified that “it never stopped the naturalization ceremonies”, and that these continue to be held nationwide, including in the Miami area.
Additionally, the agency noted that it is "exploring options for individuals under the Cuban Adjustment Act," without specifying which ones.
The court ruling that made it possible
The resumption is a direct consequence of a ruling issued on June 5, 2026 by federal judge John J. McConnell Jr. of the Rhode Island District Court, in the case Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island v. USCIS.
In a 135-page ruling, Judge McConnell declared four internal policies of USCIS illegal and arbitrary, which had frozen immigration processing for nationals from 39 countries, including Cuba and Venezuela.
The magistrate was emphatic: "USCIS's actions are contrary to the law and arbitrary and capricious."
The Trump administration attempted to reverse that ruling, but on July 16, the same judge denied the emergency request to re-freeze the processes, in a 28-page ruling.
McConnell concluded that the government "did not demonstrate a likelihood of success on appeal nor irreparable harm" and was direct: "How can I take seriously a statement that presents completely inapplicable evidence? There is no evidence of irreparable harm."
The impact on the Cuban community
The pause that is now lifting had devastating consequences.
Monthly approvals for permanent residency for Cubans plummeted 99.8%: from 10,984 in February 2025 to just 15 in January 2026, according to data from Factchequeado and the Cato Institute.
In parallel, the arrests of Cubans by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) increased by 463% between October 2024 and January 2026.
In his original letter to Secretary Mullin, Salazar had warned that the pause "has prevented tens of thousands of Cubans and Venezuelans, many of whom I know personally and are eager to participate in a new political system, from becoming U.S. citizens."
Salazar's reaction
The congresswoman celebrated USCIS's response with a clear message for her community:
"This is good news for so many families in South Florida who have waited too long. Our community is made up of people who fled tyranny in search of freedom. They followed the law, earned their place in line, and deserve a fair and timely decision."
However, the legal battle is not over.
The Trump administration is maintaining its appeal before the First Circuit Court of Appeals and may request that the court suspend McConnell's order.
Moreover, the resumption does not imply automatic approvals: USCIS will need to evaluate each case in accordance with immigration law requirements, and the decision does not alter the restrictions of the travel ban or the Department of State’s suspensions on visas processed from abroad.
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