US Immigration Cases Halted for Nationals of 19 Countries Amid National Security Concerns
In a move that has sent shockwaves through the US immigration system, the Trump administration has halted all immigration cases filed by nationals of 19 countries, including citizenship ceremonies, according to internal government guidance. The decision is the latest in a series of restrictions imposed on immigrants from specific nations following last week's shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C.
According to a memo posted by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the agency has directed employees to "stop final adjudication on all cases" involving individuals from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. This pause includes completing citizenship ceremonies for legal permanent residents from these countries who were on the cusp of becoming naturalized American citizens.
The suspension is an interim step while the administration develops further guidance on the vetting of affected immigrants, according to the memo. The move is part of a broader crackdown on immigration that was initiated by President Trump following the attack, which has included a pause on all asylum decisions and a review of green card cases involving immigrants from these countries.
The halt in immigration applications affects not just green card applicants but also those seeking citizenship, who typically must have been legal permanent residents for three or five years. The decision is being made despite concerns that it may lead to unintended consequences, such as delaying the naturalization process for eligible citizens.
"This hold includes all form types and making any final decisions (approvals, denials) as well as completing any oath ceremonies," said the guidance. "This pause will only be lifted when the USCIS director issues another memo."
The move has sparked criticism from immigration lawyers and experts, who argue that it is an unprecedented and sweeping restriction on immigrants from specific countries.
"We will take no chances when the future of our nation is at stake," said a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security. "The Trump Administration is reviewing all immigration benefits granted by the Biden administration to aliens from Countries of Concern."
The halt in immigration cases has already led to reports that some clients' applications have been halted or canceled, including citizenship ceremonies.
"This is an unprecedented move by the Trump administration," said Michael Valverde, a former top USCIS official. "The difference is this is for a large group of individuals and in every category of immigration benefit."
As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how long the halt on immigration cases will last and what impact it will have on eligible citizens who are seeking naturalization.
In a move that has sent shockwaves through the US immigration system, the Trump administration has halted all immigration cases filed by nationals of 19 countries, including citizenship ceremonies, according to internal government guidance. The decision is the latest in a series of restrictions imposed on immigrants from specific nations following last week's shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C.
According to a memo posted by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the agency has directed employees to "stop final adjudication on all cases" involving individuals from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. This pause includes completing citizenship ceremonies for legal permanent residents from these countries who were on the cusp of becoming naturalized American citizens.
The suspension is an interim step while the administration develops further guidance on the vetting of affected immigrants, according to the memo. The move is part of a broader crackdown on immigration that was initiated by President Trump following the attack, which has included a pause on all asylum decisions and a review of green card cases involving immigrants from these countries.
The halt in immigration applications affects not just green card applicants but also those seeking citizenship, who typically must have been legal permanent residents for three or five years. The decision is being made despite concerns that it may lead to unintended consequences, such as delaying the naturalization process for eligible citizens.
"This hold includes all form types and making any final decisions (approvals, denials) as well as completing any oath ceremonies," said the guidance. "This pause will only be lifted when the USCIS director issues another memo."
The move has sparked criticism from immigration lawyers and experts, who argue that it is an unprecedented and sweeping restriction on immigrants from specific countries.
"We will take no chances when the future of our nation is at stake," said a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security. "The Trump Administration is reviewing all immigration benefits granted by the Biden administration to aliens from Countries of Concern."
The halt in immigration cases has already led to reports that some clients' applications have been halted or canceled, including citizenship ceremonies.
"This is an unprecedented move by the Trump administration," said Michael Valverde, a former top USCIS official. "The difference is this is for a large group of individuals and in every category of immigration benefit."
As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how long the halt on immigration cases will last and what impact it will have on eligible citizens who are seeking naturalization.
they're just freezing all cases for 19 countries now, that's crazy! i mean, i get national security concerns and all, but this feels like a huge overreach to me. what's next? halting everything from these countries? it's not just about the people affected, it's also about the uncertainty and fear this is gonna spread among immigrants already living in the US 
I'm worried about these 19 countries being affected... like what's going on? One minute you're living in the US, paying taxes, and contributing to society, and the next, you're stopped from becoming a citizen 
You gotta wonder why they're making such a big deal out of these 19 countries. Are they really that high-risk? 
It's like, okay, we get it, national security is important, but do we really need to halt immigration cases for entire nations? That's just gonna cause more problems in the long run... Like, what about all those people who've been waiting years for citizenship? 
They're not bad folks, just trying to contribute to society. It's like, can't we just take a step back and look at the bigger picture? 
. I'm worried about what this means for people who have already invested so much time and effort into their applications – they've been living in the US, paying taxes, and contributing to society... shouldn't that count for something? 
. It feels like we're setting ourselves up for a slippery slope where we start turning away people based on their nationality rather than individual cases 
We need more transparency and accountability from our government officials – this kind of sweeping action should come with much more explanation 
iran 
libya 
somalia 
sudan 
eritrea 
haiti 
and others being stuck in limbo 
cuz of some shooting in DC 
what about all the ppl who've been living here for years 
just wanna be citizens & contribute to society 
but i guess u can't let ur guard down 
when it comes 2 national security concerns 
they're making life so hard for ppl trying to make a new life in usa... 19 countries affected? that's like, a lot of people! what's the real reason behind this decision? is it just about national security or is there something more to it? 
now it feels like we're creating barriers instead of breaking them down 
i hope this doesn't affect ppl who have been waiting for years to become american citizens 
these 19 countries got nothing to do with the shooting, it's just an excuse to slow down immigration and be super strict 
. and what about all those ppl who are already in the process of becoming naturalized citizens? 
. can't we just focus on helping people instead of creating more barriers 
.
sounds kinda harsh 
. The fact that citizenship ceremonies are also being stopped is really inconvenient for those on the cusp of becoming naturalized Americans 
it's not fair to just halt everything without explaining why 
Are they gonna stop people from applying for green cards or visas altogether? It doesn't seem like a good idea to just halt everything without proper reasoning.