Trump bans citizenship applications from Nigeria and 19 other countries. Green card processing is frozen. African and Asian nations targeted. USCIS suspends petitions.
The US government has temporarily suspended green card and citizenship processing for affected nationals. Moreover, the ban targets immigrants from selected African and Asian countries. CBS News first reported this development on Friday.
Legal residents already living in America are now stuck in limbo. They were seeking permanent residency or citizenship. However, their applications have been frozen by US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The Trump administration directed USCIS to halt all immigration petitions in December. Consequently, applications from 19 travel-banned countries were suspended. The directive came after a Thanksgiving week shooting in Washington, DC.
Two National Guard soldiers were shot by an alleged Afghan national. Following this incident, asylum cases were also suspended by the administration. Additionally, all Afghan visa applications were stopped immediately.
President Trump expanded the travel ban on Tuesday to 20 more countries. Five nations face complete entry bans. Furthermore, 15 others face partial travel restrictions.
A US official confirmed the extension to CBS News anonymously on Friday. USCIS has now broadened the suspension to newly added countries. Legal immigration pathways have been significantly restricted.
Countries Under Full Ban
Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria face complete travel restrictions. Citizens from these nations cannot enter the United States. Their immigration applications are currently frozen.
Fifteen countries face partial travel bans and processing delays. Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, and Benin are affected. Cote d’Ivoire, Dominica, and Gabon also face restrictions.
Additionally, Gambia, Malawi, and Mauritania are included in the list. Nigeria, Senegal, and Tanzania face similar processing halts. Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe complete the partially restricted group.
Thousands of legal residents are directly impacted by this policy change. Many have lived in America for years. They were simply trying to adjust their immigration status legally.
The suspension affects families waiting for reunification and professionals seeking citizenship. Therefore, uncertainty now clouds their future in the United States. Immigration advocates have criticized the sweeping nature of these restrictions.
Security Justification
The administration cites national security concerns as the primary reason. The Thanksgiving shooting triggered immediate policy reviews. Subsequently, broader immigration restrictions were implemented across multiple agencies.
Officials argue these measures protect American citizens from potential threats. However, critics question the blanket approach to immigration enforcement. The policy affects legal applicants with established US ties.
Affected applicants must wait for further guidance from USCIS. Processing timelines remain unclear at this stage. Meanwhile, immigration attorneys are advising clients to maintain their legal status.
The administration has not announced when normal processing will resume. Consequently, thousands remain in legal uncertainty. This developing story continues to impact international relations and domestic immigration policy
