“The Cruelty Is the Point”: U.S. Still Denying Protection to Severely Ill People With No Legal Status—Despite Announcing Otherwise

USCIS announced on September 19, 2019 that deferred action was reinstated by USCIS. Despite the reinstatement, the outcome in deferred action cases we handled or tracked across the country continue to raise concerns.

Since the September 19, 2019 reinstatement, USCIS has received 458 initial deferred action requests, with 43 granted, 90 denied, and the rest administratively closed, withdrawn or pending.

USCIS should commit to processing deferred action cases regularly and end the practice of denying protection to the most vulnerable.