Jimena Bustillo

The Trump administration will resume reviewing asylum applications after a four-month pause.

The agency announced the freeze in November after an Afghan national was charged with shooting two National Guard members, killing one of them.

The decision left millions of pending asylum applications at U.S.

Citizenship and Immigration Services in limbo.

Now the pause is only in effect for about 40 countries, all which have travel restrictions to the U.S.,

In a statement, the agency says that the new policy allows for resources to focus on national security and public safety vetting for higher risk cases.

Ximena Bustillo, NPR News, Washington.

He's going to have a lot to juggle.

Trump says that he could take over by the end of March, though, of course, he will have to get confirmed by the Senate.

And it is unclear whether the agency will be funded by Congress by then.

There is bipartisan consensus that there's a lack of trust in federal immigration enforcement officers.

The new policy from the Homeland Security Department says immigrants who came to the U.S.

as refugees could be detained if they do not have their green cards within a year of arriving.

Refugees are already required to apply for green cards.

But this new policy makes not having the green card a reason for deportation and states that refugees may be placed in detention while their applications are being reviewed.

Refugee resettlement groups estimate thousands could be affected, mostly those who entered under the Biden administration.

Last year, the Trump administration cut off key funding to organizations that assist refugees, including with services that help with green card applications.

Jimena Bustillo, NPR News, Washington.

Speaker Mike Johnson is working with a razor-thin majority, and some Republicans have pushed back on the Senate's demands.

Lawmakers could also move quickly to schedule additional hearings.