Ansari, Suozzi Introduce Legislation to Provide Relief to Iranians Impacted by Trump Administration USCIS Pause

WASHINGTON - Today, Representative Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), the first Iranian-American Democrat in Congress, along with Representative Tom Suozzi (NY-03) introduced the Iranian Temporary Immigration Relief Act. This legislation would provide temporary immigration protections for certain eligible Iranians already in the United States who are at risk of losing legal status by granting Temporary Protected Status and work authorization while USCIS adjudications remain paused.

"No one who has followed U.S. immigration law should lose their legal status or livelihood because the Trump Administration refuses to process their case," said Rep. Ansari. "Creating deliberate processing delays for lawfully present individuals who have complied with every requirement is unjust. I'm introducing my Iranian Temporary Immigration Relief Act to protect Iranian immigrants who are already here legally and are contributing to our communities and economy, and would face serious danger if forced to return while ongoing conflict and repression persist in Iran."

"People who followed the law, passed background checks, and built lives contributing to our economy and communities should not lose their legal status because of bureaucratic delays and political turmoil beyond their control," said Rep. Suozzi. "As the war continues and the Iranian regime intensifies its brutal repression of its own people, forcing lawfully present Iranian nationals back into the hands of the very regime they fled is both cruel and counterproductive. This narrowly tailored, temporary, and carefully vetted legislation protects individuals who played by the rules, strengthens our economy by retaining talented and highly skilled contributors, and prevents civilians from paying the price for administrative backlog."

Key Provisions of the Iranian Temporary Immigration Relief Act:

• Provide Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to eligible Iranian nationals already present in the United States

• Grant work authorization to prevent economic hardship and workforce disruption

• Maintain lawful presence for individuals impacted by the USCIS adjudication pause while their immigration matters remain pending

• Exclude individuals connected to the Islamic Republic and their family members

Ansari and Suozzi's legislation is endorsed by PAAIA; Iranian American Legal Defense Fund; and Pars Equality Center.

"PAAIA is proud to support the Iranian Temporary Immigration Relief Act, a narrow and pragmatic measure that protects Iranian nationals who are already legally present in the United States and have complied with our immigration laws. At a time when many cannot safely return to Iran due to ongoing conflict and repression, this bill provides temporary relief to vetted individuals with no criminal backgrounds who are contributing to the United States as students, scientists, engineers, healthcare professionals, entrepreneurs, and other skilled professionals. Importantly, the legislation includes strong safeguards to ensure that individuals connected to or benefiting from the Iranian regime are not eligible for relief," said the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA).

"The adjudication pause has had devastating consequences to the Iranian American community and American society at large. Behind every case number caught in the adjudication pause is a person whose life has been placed in limbo - a student, a professional, a parent, a spouse, a neighbor - someone who came to this country, followed the rules, and built a future worth protecting. It also deprives America of talented researchers, scholars, and professionals who drive innovation and economic progress. That human reality is impossible to ignore: professionals, students, and families now risk losing their work authorization, their legal footing, and years of hard-earned progress, through no fault of their own. Congresswoman Ansari's legislation offers a necessary lifeline to alleviate the human consequences of this shortsighted policy. We applaud her and other sponsors of the legislation," said the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund.

"The USCIS adjudication pause has created devastating uncertainty for Iranian nationals who complied with every aspect of U.S. immigration law and now face the loss of lawful status, employment authorization, and stability through no fault of their own. The Iranian Temporary Immigration Relief Act provides a narrowly tailored, commonsense solution that protects individuals who followed the law and strengthens our economy by retaining highly skilled talent. Pars Equality Center proudly supports this important legislation," said Paris Etemadi Scott, Legal Director at Pars Equality Center.

Text of legislation HERE.

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