The Trump administration has ordered a pause on green card and citizenship applications from nationals of 19 countries, citing heightened security screenings. Over 1.4 million pending cases may be affected as officials stress maximum vetting
Trump Administration Suspends Immigration Applications from 19 Countries Amid Security Concerns
The Trump administration has ordered an immediate suspension of immigration applications from nationals of 19 countries already subject to U.S. travel bans or restrictions, according to a memo released Tuesday by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), NBC reported.
The four-page directive, affecting both green card and citizenship applications, is aimed at strengthening security screenings.
“USCIS has considered that this direction may result in a delay to the adjudication of some pending applications. Ultimately, USCIS has determined that the burden of processing delays that will fall on some applicants is necessary and appropriate in this instance, when weighed against the agency’s obligation to protect and preserve national security,” the agency said in the memo.
The New York Times first reported the immigration pause, which impacts applicants from countries including Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen — all of which were previously under full or partial entry bans signed by President Trump in June. Additional restrictions target nationals from Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Venezuela, and seven other nations.
The announcement comes just days after two National Guard members were shot while on patrol in Washington, D.C., leaving one dead and another critically injured. The suspect, an Afghan national who legally entered the U.S. during the Biden administration, pleaded not guilty to murder charges on Tuesday and was later granted asylum after Trump returned to office.
USCIS officials warned that more than 1.4 million pending asylum cases could be affected by the pause. NBC reported that the agency did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday night.
USCIS Director Joseph Edlow questioned the vetting of Afghan nationals who arrived after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. “I do not believe they were properly vetted,” he told Newsmax on Monday. USCIS echoed the stance on social media, stating, “Nothing is off the table until every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible.”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem weighed in, calling for even broader restrictions. “I recommended a full travel ban on every damn country that’s been flooding our nation with killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies,” she wrote Monday on X.
The administration’s latest move underscores its focus on national security while potentially affecting millions of pending immigration applications. Read More
