Catholic priest sues U.S. government as processing delays complicate visa, residency

Father Sylvester Okoh can remain in the United States as he waits, but the processing delays prevent him from performing his religious duties.

A Nigerian-born Catholic priest serving in the Diocese of Des Moines, Iowa, sued the federal government after facing delays in processing his request for permanent residency, which has culminated in the expiration of his religious work visa and work authorization.

Father Sylvester Okoh, who was serving in the diocesan hospital ministry under an R-1 religious worker visa, can remain in the country as he awaits government action. Yet, because the priest lost his work authorization amid the delays, he is unable to perform his duties in the diocese.

When reached for comment, Okoh referred EWTN News to his lawyer, Alexander Smith, who said his client has done everything by the book, has not broken any laws, and “just wants to get back to work.”

Smith said there “are no court orders as of yet,” and his application is still pending. He said “we are confident that the government and the court” will recognize the delay is “unreasonable” and ensure his application is processed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

“Father Okoh meets the criteria for these forms of immigration benefits,” he said. “USCIS should have been able to make decisions on his applications within the time allowed. We hope that the government will respond favorably and we will be able to avoid further litigation. Father Okoh wishes to return to his important work as soon as possible.”

Okoh applied for permanent residency on Nov. 7, 2022 — nearly two years before his work authorization was set to expire on Aug. 30, 2024. Because of delays, USCIS extended his authorization until July 19 so he could continue working, and that extension has expired.

One reason for the delay is that USCIS adopted policies in December 2025 and January 2026 that put holds on applications from 39 “high risk” countries, including Nigeria. A federal court order in June requires that USCIS process these applications.

The lawsuit, which was filed shortly before his extension expired, warned that continued delays mean he “will be unable to perform his religious duties,” which will also “interfere with religious services for the diocese.”

It warned of “significant emotional hardship” to Okoh, the diocese, and his parishioners. The lawsuit alleges that USCIS failed to process the application in a “reasonable time,” which is required by law.

“The unreasonable delay in adjudicating [Okoh’s] application has resulted in [him] being stuck in limbo and has caused an extreme hardship on [him],” it adds.

When reached for comment, a spokesperson for USCIS told EWTN News the agency generally does not comment on individual immigration cases. The spokesperson confirmed that USCIS is complying with the June court decision that requires these applications be processed.

Smith said he has not received a response from the federal government as of July 30.

The diocese did not immediately respond to a request for comment.