© 2026 Delaware Public Media | Privacy Policy
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Your support matters more than ever. Keep trusted local journalism strong →

The impact of Trump administration's pause on visa processing

Jay Shah
/
Delaware Public Media

It’s been a month since the Trump administration initiated a pause on visa processing at U.S. consulates and embassies worldwide, claiming it is part of its global training initiative so officers can better vet applicants.

The move came shortly after a federal judge struck down a previous policy banning visa issuance to individuals from 75 countries who the administration deemed would rely on public benefits.

But this pause is not just affecting immigrants or people looking to come to Delaware and the United States.

To help us understand the long-term and downstream impacts of the visa processing pause overall and in Delaware , Rick Hogan, immigration attorney and founding partner of Hogan and Vandenberg in Wilmington joined Delaware Public Media’s Jay Shah.

DPM's Jay Shah interviews immigration attorney Rick Hogan
Rick Hogan is an immigration attorney and founding partner at Hogan and Vandenberg in Wilmington.

Hogan said although they've received word the training has been completed, the backlog created from the pause will continue to effect the system and impact anyone who needs to go through an immigration process. He said it's because USCIS officers are being instructed by the Trump administration to focus on certain tasks instead of processing applications which is exacerbating the backlog.

Hogan recommended that anyone filing for a visa, green card or naturalization application should expect delays ranging from 6 months to a year. Also, he advised that for those looking to renew their green cards, they should avoid international travel and other activities that may require them to show proof of their status. Hogan said those with green cards maintain their permanent resident status until a judge revokes it. It's the card that expires but the status remains intact.

Stay Connected
As a passionate public radio nerd, Jay Shah is here to equip all Delawareans with credible and reliable information. Before DPM, she was a Great Lakes environmental reporter and spent four years at NPR member station WKSU. Now as DPM's producer, she creates stories for The Green and collaborates with the reporters on various projects.