WASHINGTON: The United States has suspended all immigration applications from 19 countries, a move that covers green card processing and naturalization requests.
According to US media, the countries affected by the suspension include Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan, Turkmenistan, Yemen, and several others.
The New York Times reported that the ban applies to nationals from countries whose eligibility for status under the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) had already been restricted by the Trump administration in June.
USCIS confirmed that final decisions—whether approvals or denials—on all pending cases from these countries have been put on hold. The freeze also affects individuals who were close to obtaining American citizenship.
The Trump administration’s action follows a recent incident in which an Afghan national opened fire near the White House last week, killing one National Guard member and critically injuring another.
In the aftermath of the attack, the US halted visa issuance for all travelers using Afghan passports and suspended decisions on all pending asylum applications as well.