In the aftermath of the killing of a National Guard member by an Afghan national.
By Catholics for Catholics
In the aftermath of the slaying of a National Guard member and the shooting of another by an Afghan national, the Trump administration has frozen all immigration applications from citizens from 19 countries.
The countries affected since a June travel ban include Afghanistan, Myanmar (formerly Burma), Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya and Somalia. Other countries include Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.
According to Newsmax, the Trump administration has also moved to expand the travel-ban order, halting green card processing, naturalization ceremonies, and other immigration benefits for tens of thousands of foreign nationals, according to multiple reports.
The action is one of the administration’s most far-reaching steps yet to stiffen security screening and confine entry from countries the White House describes as high-risk.
Internal guidance from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), obtained by CBS News, directs officers to “stop final adjudication on all cases” involving applicants from the 19 nations listed in President Donald Trump’s June proclamation.
The restrictions apply to every immigration form processed by USCIS — not only green card petitions but also naturalization requests, asylum-related filings, work permits, and travel documents.
In addition, it also halts oath ceremonies for legal permanent residents from the countries in the list who were getting ready to become United States citizens.
Immigration officers were ordered to postpone approvals, denials, and interviews until further guidance is instructed.
According to a statement provided to CBS News, the Department of Homeland Security did not dispute the freeze. Instead, officials said the administration is committed to the highest standards of screening.
“The Trump administration is making every effort to ensure individuals becoming citizens are the best of the best,” a DHS spokesperson said.
A USCIS spokesman, Matthew Tragesser, reinforced that message in a statement to The New York Times.
“Citizenship is a privilege, not a right,” he said. “We will take no chances when the future of our nation is at stake.”
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