A New York–based immigration law firm has launched a federal lawsuit against U.S. immigration authorities, alleging that a pause on applications from nationals of 39 countries is discriminatory and unlawfully harming thousands of immigrants and their families.
Attorney LaToya McBean-Pompy, founder of McBean Law, announced the legal action in a video shared on social media, describing the lawsuit as a response to what she called an arbitrary and damaging halt by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on certain immigration applications.
“Enough is enough,” McBean-Pompy said. “Immigration is about more than forms — it’s about freedom.”
Federal Challenge to USCIS Practices
The lawsuit is being pursued through the firm’s LIFT (Litigation for Immigration Transparency) practice, which focuses on holding the federal government accountable in U.S. courts. According to McBean-Pompy, the case challenges a USCIS pause or hold that disproportionately affects applicants from 39 countries, including individuals from Haiti, Nigeria, Senegal, and those holding Palestinian Authority travel documents.
The legal action is structured as a multi-plaintiff federal lawsuit, with participants already joining from states including New York, Florida, Texas, Colorado, and New Jersey.
McBean-Pompy said many of the affected applicants have experienced prolonged delays in critical immigration benefits, including work permits, with little explanation or recourse.
“My work permit is not coming to me because of this pause,” she said, summarizing the experiences shared by clients. “It’s unfair, and it’s hurting people.”
Impact on Families and Livelihoods
According to the attorney, the lawsuit stresses the real-world consequences of delayed or stalled immigration processing. She described families unable to work legally, individuals facing financial instability, and households living in prolonged uncertainty due to what she characterized as inconsistent and opaque government decision-making.
“These arbitrary decisions are impacting people — real people — in their lives and their families,” McBean-Pompy said. “The hurt and the pain that these decisions are causing is not right.”
She added that the firm is currently reviewing submissions and documentation from potential plaintiffs nationwide as part of the onboarding process for the case.
February 8 Deadline for Plaintiffs
McBean Law has set Feb 8 as the deadline for affected individuals to join the lawsuit. McBean-Pompy encouraged eligible applicants impacted by the USCIS pause to come forward, framing the legal action as both a challenge to federal policy and a broader stand against what she described as systemic inequities in immigration enforcement.
“This is about showing the government that these actions are wrong,” she said. “It’s time for people to step up and say enough is enough.”
As of publication, USCIS has not publicly responded to the specific claims raised in the lawsuit. The case adds to growing legal scrutiny over immigration processing delays and the federal government’s discretion in administering immigration benefits.
