The Trump administration has paused immigration applications from nationals of 19 countries, including 10 in Africa, citing concerns over national security and public safety. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that pending asylum requests, green card applications, and naturalization processes from these countries will be placed on hold while undergoing comprehensive review.
The countries affected under the June proclamation are Afghanistan, Burma, Haiti, Iran, Yemen, Cuba, Laos, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, and the African nations Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Burundi, Sierra Leone, and Togo. USCIS noted that more than 1.4 million applications could be impacted by the pause.
USCIS stressed that the hold is intended to ensure thorough vetting. The agency acknowledged that some delays are unavoidable but explained that the burden of processing these applications is “necessary and appropriate” given its obligation to protect national security.
The move follows a shooting in Washington, D.C., in which one National Guard member was killed and another critically injured. The suspect, an Afghan national who entered the United States legally, is under investigation.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told President Donald Trump that she supported “a full travel ban on every damn country” she considered a threat to the United States. Trump underscored the need to review arrivals from Afghanistan and other nations to identify individuals who may not belong in the country.
USCIS plans to conduct individualized reviews, interviews, and, if necessary, re-interviews for all applicants from the affected countries. Officials emphasized that no application will be approved without thorough evaluation and that the process will continue until further guidance is issued.
