US Suspends Immigration Applications From 19 Nations

The Donald Trump administration has ordered an immediate suspension of immigration applications from nationals of 19 countries already subject to United States travel bans or entry restrictions, NBC reported on Tuesday.

According to a four-page memo from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the pause affects both green card and naturalisation applications and is aimed at enabling enhanced security reviews. USCIS acknowledged that the directive may delay ongoing cases but said the measures were necessary to meet national security obligations.

The New York Times first reported the policy, which affects applicants from countries such as Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen—nations already under full or partial entry bans issued earlier in Trump’s term. Additional restrictions also apply to applicants from seven other countries, including Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone and Venezuela.

The decision comes shortly after two National Guard members were shot while on duty in Washington, DC, an incident that left one dead and another critically injured. The suspect, an Afghan national who arrived legally during the Biden administration and was granted asylum after Trump returned to office, has pleaded not guilty to murder charges.

USCIS officials warned that the suspension could impact more than 1.4 million pending asylum cases. The agency did not respond to media inquiries on Tuesday.

USCIS Director Joseph Edlow questioned the vetting of Afghan evacuees who entered the U.S. following the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan, stating that the screening process may have been insufficient. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also urged even broader restrictions, calling for the expansion of travel bans.

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