Trump Administration Suspends Immigration Applications from 19 Travel-Ban Nations

The Trump administration has suspended all immigration applications, including green card requests, from 19 countries previously subjected to travel bans earlier this year. This decision, detailed in a policy memo from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), follows the recent shooting of two National Guard troops.

The suspension affects a broad spectrum of immigration processes for individuals from these nations, which the administration has labeled as high-risk. USCIS Director Joseph Edlow holds the authority to determine when this pause will be lifted.

In June, the administration imposed travel bans on citizens from 12 countries and restricted access for individuals from seven others, citing national security concerns. The affected countries include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

Initially, these measures did not impact immigrants from these countries already residing in the U.S. However, the new directive indicates that all individuals from these nations, regardless of their arrival date, will now undergo additional scrutiny. USCIS plans to conduct a comprehensive review of all approved benefit requests for immigrants who entered the country during the Biden administration.

The agency cited the recent shooting of two National Guard troops by an Afghan national as a catalyst for this heightened scrutiny. One soldier was killed, and another wounded in the incident near the White House during Thanksgiving week.

"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.

Within 90 days, USCIS intends to create a prioritized list of immigrants for review and, if necessary, refer cases to immigration enforcement or other law enforcement agencies.

Since the shooting, the administration has announced several measures to scrutinize both immigrants already in the country and those seeking entry. Last week, USCIS Director Edlow indicated that the agency would reexamine green card applications from countries of concern. Additionally, USCIS has paused all asylum decisions, and the State Department has halted visas for Afghans who assisted the U.S. war effort.

Critics argue that these actions amount to collective punishment for immigrants from the affected countries.