Green Card Backlogs Threaten Refugee, Asylee Health Coverage Access

A new data note tracks green card (I-485) processing trends for refugees and asylees from FY2021 through FY2025, and compares the first three quarters of FY2025 to FY2026. It finds processing has slowed, leaving more refugees and asylees stuck in backlogs without permanent resident status. This matters because the 2025 reconciliation law tightened eligibility for federally funded health coverage, and delayed green card approval can now directly affect whether these populations retain access to Medicaid, CHIP, or other federal coverage. The note outlines how growing backlogs compound the coverage losses already expected from the law's eligibility changes.

CHIP