- The pause applies to countries already subject to a partial travel ban.
- Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen face restrictions.
- The policy requires immigrants to undergo a thorough re-screening process.
The Trump administration has said it has suspended all immigration applications, including processing for green cards and U.S. citizenship, filed by immigrants from 19 non-European countries, citing national security and public safety concerns.
The pause applies to people from 19 countries that were already subject to a partial travel ban in June, imposing further restrictions on immigration, a central feature of US President Donald Trump’s political platform.
The list of countries includes Afghanistan and Somalia.
The official memo outlining the new policy cites the attack on members of the US National Guard in Washington last week in which an Afghan man was arrested as a suspect. One National Guard member was killed and another was seriously injured in the shooting.
Trump has also stepped up rhetoric against Somalis in recent days, calling them “trash” and saying “we don’t want them in our country.”
Since returning to power in January, Trump has aggressively prioritized immigration enforcement, sending federal agents to major U.S. cities and turning away asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border.
His administration has frequently highlighted the push for deportations, but so far has placed less emphasis on efforts to reshape legal immigration.
The avalanche of restrictions promised since the attack on National Guard members suggests a greater focus on legal immigration framed by protecting national security and blaming former President Joe Biden for his policies.
The list of countries targeted by Wednesday’s memo includes Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, which were subject to the toughest immigration restrictions in June, including a complete suspension of entries with some exceptions.
Others of the 19 countries that were subject to partial restrictions in June are Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.
The new policy suspends pending applications and requires all immigrants on the list of countries “to undergo a thorough re-review process, including a possible interview and, if necessary, a re-interview, to fully evaluate all threats to national and public safety.”
The memo cited several recent crimes suspected of being committed by immigrants, including the National Guard attack.
Sharvari Dalal-Dheini, senior director of government relations at the American Immigration Lawyers Association, said the organization had received reports of canceled swearing-in ceremonies, naturalization interviews and adjustment of status interviews for people from countries included in the travel ban.
