Some Immigrants Can Ask USCIS to Reopen Cases Without Paying a Fee
Certain immigrants whose parole was ended by email can now ask USCIS to look at their past immigration decisions again for free.
Affects: Asylum seekers, Green Card applicants, All immigrants · Source: USCIS · Action may be needed
What happened
A court has ordered that some immigrants can ask USCIS to look at their past immigration decisions again. This is for people whose temporary permission to be in the U.S. (called parole) was ended by an email in April 2025.
These immigrants, known as "Sileiri Doe class members," do not have to pay a fee to ask USCIS to reopen or reconsider their cases. This applies if USCIS made a bad decision on their case between April 1, 2025, and April 21, 2026.
The court said these April 2025 emails ending parole were not legal. So, USCIS is now fixing problems that happened because of those emails.
The bigger picture
Before this, some people who came to the U.S. with a special permission called "parole" had that permission taken away. This happened in April 2025 when they received an email telling them to leave the country.
The government says it is doing this because a court decided that those emails ending parole were not valid. The court ordered the government to fix any problems that happened to these immigrants because of those emails.
What this means for you
Sileiri Doe class members
If you are a Sileiri Doe class member, you can now ask USCIS to look at your immigration case again without paying a fee. This is for decisions made between April 1, 2025, and April 21, 2026, that you believe were wrong because your parole was ended.
Asylum seekers
If you are a Sileiri Doe class member and applied for asylum, you can ask USCIS to reopen your asylum case for free. You must explain how the parole termination affected your eligibility.
Green card applicants
If you are a Sileiri Doe class member and applied for a green card, you can ask USCIS to reconsider your application for free. This is if the decision was made during the specific time frame and you link it to the parole termination.
All immigrants
If you are not a Sileiri Doe class member, this update does not directly change anything for you. It only applies to a specific group of people affected by a past court order.
What you should do
- If you think you are a Sileiri Doe class member and had a bad immigration decision between April 1, 2025, and April 21, 2026, you can ask USCIS to look at your case again without paying a fee. You must use the correct form and explain how the April 2025 parole termination affected your case. Check the USCIS website for specific instructions on Form I-589 (for asylum) and Form I-290B (for other cases).
Key dates
- 2023-05-16: Start date for parole of class members
- 2025-01-19: End date for parole of class members
- 2025-04: Parole termination emails sent to class members
- 2025-04-01: Start date for adverse decisions that can be reopened/reconsidered
- 2026-03-31: Court vacated April 2025 parole termination emails
- 2026-04-21: End date for adverse decisions that can be reopened/reconsidered; CBP reinstated parole for class members
- 2026-09-28: Court ordered remediation for adverse consequences
Words explained
- Parole
- Parole is a special permission that lets someone enter and stay in the United States for a short time, even if they don't have a visa.
- Sileiri Doe Class Members
- These are specific people who used the CBP One app to schedule entry, were paroled into the U.S. between May 2023 and January 2025, had their parole ended by email in April 2025, and are still in the U.S.
- Adverse Decision
- This means a bad decision by USCIS on an immigration request, like when an application was denied, closed, or sent to an immigration court.
- Reopen or Reconsider
- This is when you ask USCIS to look at your case again after they have already made a decision, hoping they will change their mind.
- Removal Proceedings
- This is a legal process in an immigration court that can lead to someone being sent out of the United States.
Common questions
Who is a Sileiri Doe class member?
You are a Sileiri Doe class member if you used the CBP One app to enter the U.S., were paroled between May 16, 2023, and Jan 19, 2025, had your parole ended by email in April 2025, and are still in the U.S.
Can I ask USCIS to reopen my employment authorization case for free?
No, the announcement says you cannot ask for free reopening or reconsideration for employment authorization requests that are based on parole. Normal fees and rules apply for those.
What if I am in immigration court (removal proceedings)?
If you are in removal proceedings, you must first get your case ended or dismissed by the Immigration Judge. USCIS will not accept your request to reopen or reconsider if your case is still with the court.
Is there a deadline to ask USCIS to reopen my case?
No, the court order says there is no deadline for Sileiri Doe class members to file a request to reopen or reconsider these specific adverse decisions.
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This is a plain-English explanation, not legal advice. Confirm with the official source or a licensed immigration attorney.