More Than 300,000 Asylum-Seekers Are Trapped In Legal Limbo Vulnerable asylum-seekers who are stuck in the backlog are unable to legally work, pursue educational opportunities, or obtain medical care. Illustration:Rebecca Zisser/HuffPost; Photos: Getty The backlog of asylum applicants waiting for a decision from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has grown to more than 386,000 as of September 2020, according to a new report from the nonprofit Human Rights First. HuffPost was given an early look at the report, released on Friday. U.S. law requires officials to conduct the initial asylum interviews within 45 days of the application and make a decision within 180 days, but many asylum-seekers have waited years for an answer, the report finds. Applicants are essentially stuck while they wait ― unable to legally work, pursue educational opportunities, or obtain medical care and housing. They live with the constant threat of possible deportation as they await permanent status.