The United States government has temporarily halted immigration applications from 19 countries that the administration deems “high‑risk.” The decision follows a recent shooting in Washington involving a suspect of Afghan nationality. A memo posted on the Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website explains that the pause affects green‑card requests and U.S. citizenship processing for individuals from these nations.
The 19 countries subject to the pause include Afghanistan, Somalia, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Sudan, Burundi, Sierra Leone, Togo, Myanmar, Haiti, Iran, Yemen, Cuba, Laos, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. Several of these nations are already under partial or full travel bans that have been in place since June. The new policy requires immigrants from the listed countries who entered the United States on or after January 20, 2021, to undergo a thorough re‑review to assess national‑security and public‑safety risks.
Within 90 days, USCIS will compile a prioritized list of individuals for review, which could result in referrals to immigration enforcement or other law‑enforcement agencies. Immigration lawyers report that naturalization ceremonies and status‑change interviews have been cancelled, with applicants turned away without explanation.
The pause significantly narrows the remaining legal pathways for immigration to the United States. Analysts view the measure as part of the administration’s broader effort to tighten immigration rules. Since the shooting incident, officials have announced several actions aimed at scrutinizing both immigrants already in the country and those seeking entry, including a halt to asylum decisions by USCIS and a suspension of visas for Afghans who assisted the U.S. war effort.
These actions have drawn criticism, with some observers arguing that they amount to collective punishment of immigrants. The pause on immigration applications is the latest development in the government’s ongoing immigration reform. As the situation evolves, international observers and stakeholders will be watching closely to see how the changes affect the individuals and families caught in its wake.
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