U.S. Freezes Immigration Cases From 19 Countries

The Trump administration has temporarily stopped processing immigration petitions from people originating in 19 countries already subject to travel limits or heightened security reviews. According to a memo issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on Tuesday, applications from nationals of countries such as Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, and others on prior travel-restriction lists will not move forward for now.

In the memo, USCIS acknowledged that the pause will slow down decisions for some applicants but argued that the delay is justified to allow for what the agency called the most rigorous screening possible. The document states that ensuring thorough vetting outweighs concerns about longer processing times.

The New York Times was first to report the halt, noting that it affects individuals applying for both permanent residency and naturalization.

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security defended the action, saying the administration intends to make sure that new citizens meet the highest standards. “Citizenship is a privilege, not an automatic entitlement,” the spokesperson said, adding that national security concerns guide the policy shift.

The pause comes shortly after a deadly incident involving two National Guard members on duty in Washington, D.C. The suspected shooter—an Afghan national who entered the country legally during the Biden administration and later received asylum under President Trump’s second term—has pleaded not guilty.

USCIS estimates that more than 1.4 million pending asylum cases could be affected by the freeze. The hold applies to applicants from 19 nations designated as high-risk, most of which are in Africa and Asia.

Earlier in June, President Trump signed a proclamation that fully barred entry for citizens from 12 of those countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Entry restrictions of varying degrees were also placed on seven others: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

In a recent Newsmax interview, USCIS Director Joseph Edlow said he believes many Afghan nationals admitted to the U.S. after the 2021 withdrawal were not adequately screened. His office reiterated on X that the agency will consider every option “until every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible.”

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also posted on X that she met with President Trump and urged him to impose a “full travel ban” on countries she claimed pose significant security risks.