US Pauses Immigration from 19 Nations Over Security Concerns
The Trump administration announced on Tuesday a pause on all immigration applications, including green card and citizenship processing, for immigrants from 19 non-European countries. The decision, citing national security and public safety concerns, builds on partial travel restrictions introduced in June and further tightens legal immigration.
The affected countries include Afghanistan, Somalia, Burma, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
The policy comes in the wake of a recent attack on U.S. National Guard members in Washington, in which an Afghan suspect was arrested. One member was killed, and another critically wounded. Officials say this incident has intensified focus on national security and framed legal immigration as a key concern.
Under the new policy, pending immigration applications from these countries will undergo a re-review process, potentially including interviews or re-interviews, to assess security and safety risks.
Sharvari Dalal-Dheini, senior director of government relations for the American Immigration Lawyers Association, confirmed reports of cancelled naturalization ceremonies, oath-taking events, and adjustment of status interviews for individuals from the affected countries.
This move reflects the administration’s broader agenda to tighten immigration while emphasizing security concerns and criticizing previous policies under former President Biden.
