government Donald Trump Created new and extensive Suspending immigration procedures affecting immigrants from 19 countries Considered “high-risk,” the decision halts applications for residency, citizenship, asylum and other legal benefits, even for people already living in the United States.
The measure, adopted after the shooting that killed a National Guard member and wounded another officer in Washington, is part of the toughest immigration policy measures since the Republican returned to the White House.
According to internal documents obtained by CBS News, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has ordered its employees “Stop the final decision in all cases” Linked to people from those 19 countries, including advanced procedures and already scheduled citizenship appointments.
Instructions arrive All immigration categories: Approvals, denials, naturalization interviews, adjustments of status, and even the final oath for those about to become U.S. citizens.
The official memo itself, issued Tuesday evening, states that the suspension can only be lifted through another document signed by USCIS Director Joseph Edlow.
The administration justified this action with the attack that occurred during the Thanksgiving holiday, when an Afghan man opened fire on two National Guard members near the White House. The shooter entered the United States in 2021 during Joe Biden’s presidency and was granted asylum in April this year. For the government, this incident exposed “serious flaws” in background checks and forced a comprehensive review of all cases of migrants coming from countries considered sensitive.
The 19 affected countries They are the same as those included in the June announcement that imposed complete or partial restrictions on travel: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, YemenIn addition Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.
at that time, The veto did not reach those who were already residing on American soil, but the suspension now includes them entirely. Immigration lawyers confirmed that in the past few hours citizenship interviews, residency procedures and naturalization ceremonies for people from those countries have been cancelled.
The government also announced a complete cessation of decisions Asylumparalysis Visas for Afghans Who cooperated with us and reviewed everyone Benefits of immigration Granted during the Biden administration.
In parallel, the Department of Homeland Security noted that the administration “is doing everything in its power to ensure that those who become citizens are the best of the best,” and stressed that no risks will be taken “when the future of the country is at stake.”
USCIS warrant orders a “Comprehensive review” for each case, which may include new interviews even for already approved procedures. It also details that any request to suspend a temporary suspension for legal reasons or “exceptional circumstances” will require personal authorization from the USCIS Director.
US officials told CBS News The government is considering expanding the scope of the travel ban to include more countriesWhich may bring the total list to approximately 30 nationalities subject to special monitoring.
The attack comes amid a tense political climate Trump toughens his rhetoric against immigrants from some of these countries – especially Somalis – and strengthening federal operations in several cities.
Experts consulted in the US described the decision as “unprecedented” because of its scope, as it is not a limited or tactical halt, but rather a general ban on all immigration applications from a wide range of countries and in all benefit categories.
According to USCIS, The suspension will remain in place until the review is completed Comprehensive security. At the same time, the procedures for thousands of migrants who were about to obtain residency or citizenship were frozen indefinitely.