Trump administration halts immigration applications for migrants from 19 travel-ban nations

The Trump administration has implemented a significant pause on all immigration applications for individuals from 19 countries previously targeted by travel restrictions, according to a policy memo published Tuesday by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

This sweeping measure, which affects green card applications and naturalization processes, comes in direct response to the recent shooting of two National Guard troops near the White House during Thanksgiving week. One soldier was killed and another wounded in the incident, which authorities say was carried out by an Afghan national.

“In light of identified concerns and the threat to the American people, USCIS has determined that a comprehensive re-review, potential interview, and re-interview of all aliens from high-risk countries of concern who entered the United States on or after January 20, 2021 is necessary,” the agency stated in its directive.

The pause targets immigrants from 19 nations that the administration previously classified as high-risk. In June, the administration banned U.S. travel for citizens from 12 countries: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Additionally, it imposed restricted access for individuals from seven others: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

When the original travel ban was implemented, it did not affect immigrants from these countries who were already residing in the United States. The new policy changes that stance dramatically, subjecting all immigrants from these nations to additional scrutiny, regardless of when they arrived in the country.

According to the memo, USCIS will conduct an extensive review of all “approved benefit requests” for immigrants who entered the country during the Biden administration. The agency plans to create a prioritized list of immigrants for review within 90 days and, if deemed necessary, refer cases to immigration enforcement or other law enforcement agencies.

The decision to pause these applications falls under the authority of USCIS Director Joseph Edlow, who will determine when to lift the suspension. Last week, Edlow had already indicated on social media that the agency would be reexamining green card applications for people from “countries of concern,” though Tuesday’s policy directive significantly expands the scope of those affected.

This measure is part of a series of immigration policy changes announced since the National Guard shooting. USCIS recently paused all asylum decisions, while the State Department halted visa processing for Afghans who assisted U.S. forces during the war in Afghanistan. Additionally, days before the shooting, USCIS had already announced plans to review cases of all refugees who entered the U.S. during the Biden administration.

The comprehensive nature of these reviews signals a fundamental shift in how the administration is approaching immigration from these countries. Rather than focusing solely on new entrants, the policy now encompasses immigrants who have been living in the United States for potentially several years and were previously approved for various immigration benefits.

Critics have characterized the administration’s actions as a form of collective punishment, arguing that the policies unfairly target entire national populations based on the actions of individuals. Immigration advocates have expressed concern about the potential impact on thousands of law-abiding immigrants who have established lives in the United States.

The pause represents one of the most extensive immigration policy shifts implemented by the Trump administration to date, effectively linking national security concerns with broader immigration processes in ways that could have long-lasting implications for the U.S. immigration system.

USCIS has not provided a timeline for when the reviews might be completed or when the pause on processing applications might be lifted, leaving many immigrants from these countries in a state of uncertainty regarding their immigration status.