The Trump administration has suspended immigration applications from 19 countries identified as high risks for terrorism and national security threats. Officials indicated shortly after that this list might expand to over 30 countries.
In a memo released late Tuesday, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) instructed a halt on green card and citizenship applications from these nations until a thorough review is finished.
The countries affected, as previously announced by President Trump in a June proclamation, include Afghanistan, Burma, Burundi, Chad, Cuba, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, and Yemen.
Moreover, USCIS declared the suspension of all pending asylum applications, regardless of the applicants’ nationalities.
The memo explained that USCIS believes a comprehensive review, potential interviews, and re-interviews are necessary for all foreign nationals from these high-risk countries who entered the U.S. after January 20, 2021. They acknowledged that this could delay some pending applications but emphasized the importance of thorough vetting.
Ultimately, USCIS felt that the necessary processing delays were acceptable given the agency’s responsibility to uphold national security.
The memo referenced two notable criminal cases involving Afghan nationals, highlighting a recent attack on two West Virginia National Guard members in Washington, D.C. The suspect, Rahmanullah Rakanwal, legally entered the U.S. in 2021 through the Biden administration’s Operation Welcoming Allies program, which was set up to help evacuate refugees following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
“The recent incidents have made it clear how a lack of scrutiny in immigration can impact the safety of American citizens,” the memo stated.
USCIS reiterated its commitment to ensuring that individuals entering the U.S. from high-risk countries do not pose a threat to national security or public safety.
