The United States has imposed a full immigration ban and processing freeze on nationals from 19 countries, expanding an earlier travel-ban regime and triggering immediate concern among migrant communities and rights groups.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, all immigration applications — including green-card requests, naturalisation files and other benefit petitions — have been paused for citizens of the listed countries. Officials say the move follows heightened “national security and public-safety concerns” raised after a recent incident involving an Afghan national.
The affected list includes 12 countries already facing a complete entry ban — among them Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Sudan, Somalia and Yemen — and seven others that previously had partial visa restrictions, such as Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone and Venezuela. Under the new directive, the pause now applies uniformly to all 19 nations, regardless of whether applicants are already inside the United States.
Authorities have indicated that pending files will undergo “enhanced vetting” and may be re-interviewed or re-evaluated. No timeline has been offered for restoration of normal processing.
Immigration advocates have criticised the decision as overly broad and discriminatory, warning that thousands of families and long-time U.S. residents will face uncertainty. The administration, however, maintains that the measures are temporary and necessary to “protect the homeland.”
Reports also suggest that the White House is considering expanding the travel-ban list to more than 30 countries, signalling a major tightening of U.S. immigration policy in the months ahead.
