Trump administration halts all immigration applications from 19 countries
What's the story
The Trump administration has announced a suspension of all immigration applications from 19 countries. The decision includes green card and US citizenship processing. The move comes after an attack on US National Guard members in Washington, where an Afghan man was arrested as a suspect. The shooting left one National Guard member dead and another critically injured.
Affected nations
Countries affected by immigration application suspension
The countries affected by the suspension include Afghanistan and Somalia, which were already under partial travel restrictions since June. The list also includes Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Sudan, and Yemen. These nations were subjected to severe immigration restrictions in June, with only a few exceptions for entry.
Application review
Immigration applications from countries under review
The new policy mandates a comprehensive re-review process for all immigrants from these countries. This includes possible interviews and re-interviews to assess national security and public safety threats. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will create a prioritized list of immigrants for review within 90 days. If necessary, these cases may be referred to immigration enforcement or other law enforcement agencies.
Benefit review
USCIS to review approved benefit requests for immigrants
The USCIS will also review all approved benefit requests for immigrants who entered the United States during President Joe Biden's administration. This is part of a larger effort to scrutinize immigrants already in the country and those seeking entry. The agency has also paused all asylum decisions and halted visas for Afghans who assisted in US military efforts.
Criticism
Critics accuse Trump administration of collective punishment
Critics have slammed the Trump administration's actions as collective punishment for immigrants. According to The Guardian, Sharvari Dalal-Dheini from the American Immigration Lawyers Association said they had received reports of canceled oath ceremonies and naturalization interviews for individuals from these countries. The new policy is part of Trump's aggressive immigration enforcement agenda since returning to office in January, which includes sending federal agents to major US cities and turning away asylum seekers at the US-Mexico border.