This article was prepared with the assistance of ABIL, the Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers, of which Loan Huynh is an active member.
Following a preliminary injunction in Pacito v. Trump, the Department of State (DOS) announced on March 14, 2025, that it has resumed processing of following-to-join beneficiaries who are relatives of refugees already in the United States.
DOS said it will "communicate directly with beneficiaries whose appointments were previously canceled to reschedule these appointments." The agency said it also will continue processing any application for which the following-to-join refugee beneficiary has already been interviewed. "Beneficiaries wishing to continue their applications will require a sponsor to fund their medical exams and travel to the United States," DOS said.
