In a significant policy shift, the administration of President Donald Trump has ordered a complete pause on all immigration applications filed by nationals from 19 specific countries. This suspension includes critical processes like green card applications and US citizenship processing, marking a new escalation in the administration's immigration agenda.
National Security Cited as Key Reason
The decision, announced this week, is framed around national security and public safety concerns. An official memorandum points to last week's attack on US National Guard members in Washington as a catalyst. In that incident, an Afghan man was arrested as a suspect, resulting in one Guard member killed and another critically injured.
The policy directly impacts nationals from 19 states that were already under a partial travel ban imposed in June. The list includes Afghanistan and Somalia, alongside nations like Iran, Libya, Yemen, and others. The administration's memorandum notably references President Trump's recent harsh criticism of Somali immigrants, where he reportedly referred to them as "garbage" and questioned Somalia's status as a country.
Which Countries Are Affected?
The new restrictions apply to a specific list of nations. Some face the strictest measures, while others see expanded limitations.
Countries facing a near-total entry suspension since June:
- Afghanistan
- Burma (Myanmar)
- Chad
- Republic of the Congo
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Haiti
- Iran
- Libya
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Yemen
Countries now facing expanded restrictions from a previous partial ban:
- Burundi
- Cuba
- Laos
- Sierra Leone
- Togo
- Turkmenistan
- Venezuela
Consequences and Legal Immigration Reshaped
Under this directive, all pending applications from individuals from these 19 countries will be placed on hold. Applicants will be subjected to a "thorough re-review process," which may involve new or additional interviews to assess potential risks.
Sharvari Dalal-Dheini, a senior director at the American Immigration Lawyers Association, confirmed that the organization has already received reports of cancelled oath ceremonies, naturalisation interviews, and adjustment-of-status appointments for affected individuals.
This move signals a clear intensification of the Trump administration's focus on reshaping legal immigration pathways under a national security framework. Since returning to office in January, President Trump has prioritized immigration enforcement, a pillar of his political agenda, through measures like deploying federal agents and tightening asylum access.
While past efforts often highlighted deportations, Tuesday's decision represents a strategic pivot towards imposing stricter controls and extended vetting on the legal immigration system itself.
