Refugee Green Card Freeze Faces Class Action Lawsuit in PANA V. Edlow

Four refugees and six organizations are named as plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed October 26, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. The case, PANA et al. v. USCIS, also captioned PANA v. Edlow, challenges three federal policies affecting refugees’ path to permanent residence and their protection from losing refugee status.

The plaintiffs call it a class action lawsuit and ask the court to block the policies while the case proceeds, then set them aside.

The refugee green card freeze is one of three policies at issue. The suit also challenges renewed refugee screening and a shorter period to respond to a notice seeking termination of refugee status.

The individual plaintiffs are from Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Colombia and Iraq. All four have applied for permanent residence and are awaiting decisions.

The proposed nationwide class has not been certified

The plaintiffs seek a nationwide class covering people admitted to the United States as refugees who had not adjusted to lawful permanent resident status as of October 14, 2026, or afterward. The court has not certified the proposed class.

DHS estimates about 113,000 refugees have pending permanent-residence applications. The termination rule could affect as many as 186,000 refugee cases, according to the agency’s estimates.

The six organizational plaintiffs are the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts, International Institute of New England, African Communities Together, HIAS and Refugee Council USA. PANA is a California-headquartered membership organization led by and serving refugees; African Communities Together is a national nonprofit membership organization of African immigrants.

As of October 2026, the case seeks relief for a much broader group than the four named individuals. The class remains proposed.

The challenged policies halt applications, restart interviews and shorten response time

A USCIS policy memorandum dated November 21, 2025, stopped processing lawful permanent residence applications from refugees admitted between January 20, 2021, and February 20, 2025. The policy applies to refugees admitted under the Biden administration.

USCIS said it sought to reassess whether those refugees met the definition of a refugee when admitted, citing national security and public safety concerns. The same policy directs the agency to review and re-interview people who had already completed extensive screening before admission. The complaint calls the re-interview process a “baseless fishing expedition.”

A separate interim final rule published October 14, 2026, reduces the time to respond to a notice of intent to terminate refugee status from 30 days to 10 days. The rule took effect immediately without notice and comment, according to the lawsuit, replacing a 30-day protection that had been in place for more than four decades.

The rule cites a need to “restore integrity to the immigration system,” as well as national security and fraud prevention. The plaintiffs say the compressed period can leave refugees less time to find legal help and answer the government’s allegations.

The complaint alleges the policies exceed federal authority and deny due process

The complaint argues the policies violate the Immigration and Nationality Act and the Administrative Procedure Act by imposing mass re-vetting and a blanket hold on adjustment of status. It says Congress did not authorize those actions and alleges violations of constitutional due-process protections. The suit also says the measures undermine commitments Congress established in the Refugee Act of 1980.

The complaint describes the combined policies as keeping refugees from lawful permanent residence, a status it says they are entitled to under federal law, while putting them at risk of losing refugee status without a meaningful opportunity to be heard.

Jeff Thielman, president and CEO of the International Institute of New England, said the organization wants the government ordered to resume green-card processing, stop re-vetting refugees because they were admitted during Joe Biden’s presidency, and restore time for people to obtain lawyers after receiving termination notices.

Maria Chavez, PANA’s immigration legal director, said refugees are “neighbors, friends, and trusted coworkers.” She called the policies a reversal of longstanding protections for vulnerable families.

Smita Dazzo, HIAS’s deputy domestic lead, said the administration had broken “the sacred promise of safety and a better future” offered to refugees. John Slocum, executive director of Refugee Council USA, said the group stands with refugee communities amid what he called attacks on refugee protections.

Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, said the plaintiffs “fled persecution, underwent years of rigorous vetting, and have built lives, families, and communities in the United States.” She also described the policies as trapping refugees in legal limbo by blocking permanent residence while making it easier to strip them of status.

Status challenges can reach work, benefits and family life

Refugees unable to adjust status can lose benefits available to lawful permanent residents, including a path to citizenship and eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The International Refugee Assistance Project says Medicaid coverage has also applied since October 1, 2026.

People who cannot defend themselves within the 10-day period may face termination of status, detention or removal proceedings. The plaintiffs warn that refugees could also lose work authorization, face family separation or be deported.

Refugee Council USA described a Sudanese refugee identified as “S,” who moved to Minnesota from a refugee camp in Chad in 2023. The group said immigration officers photographed S’s car and license plate outside the family’s home and knocked on the door. When S asked whether they had a warrant, the officers said they did not but would return.

The family covered its windows and stopped going to work while volunteers brought groceries. S said the situation “reminds me of the war. The fear of not knowing what will happen. I just want to feel safe again”.

Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts said about 1,000 of its clients are waiting for green-card applications to be processed. Camille Wathne, the organization’s director of special projects, said the administration was telling people with long-standing refugee status they might have to appear in court and “essentially relitigate” their cases.

Plaintiffs seek an emergency pause as the case proceeds

On October 26, 2026, the plaintiffs filed an emergency request for a stay and a stay pending appeal. They also asked for an immediate administrative stay of the 10-day termination rule.

The plaintiffs said at least one refugee had already received a termination notice under the new system. They seek to prevent a loss of status while the broader challenge moves through court.

Democracy Forward, the International Refugee Assistance Project and pro bono counsel represent the plaintiffs. IRAP identifies Democracy Forward Foundation and A&O Shearman as co-counsel.

This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Consult a qualified immigration attorney about your specific case.