The list of countries subject to restrictions includes: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
This suspension affects all individuals who are citizens of or were born in one of the specified countries. Applicants from these states will have to undergo enhanced scrutiny, which may include an interview to assess potential national security threats.
It has also been decided to suspend the processing of asylum applications and requests for withholding of deportation (Form I-589), regardless of the applicants' nationality, until a complete review is completed.
The memorandum requires employees of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to conduct a comprehensive re-evaluation of already approved immigration applications, including requests for permanent resident status and green card replacements.
On November 26, a shooting occurred outside the White House, resulting in injuries to two members of the U.S. National Guard. One later died in the hospital, while the other remains in critical condition. The assailant, who was also hospitalized, turned out to be an Afghan national who arrived in the U.S. in 2021 after the government in Kabul fell, when American forces evacuated people due to the Taliban's takeover of the city.
After the incident, Joseph Edlow, the head of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, reported on Trump's order to conduct a thorough and rigorous review of all green cards for foreigners from countries deemed dangerous. He pointed to Trump's directive issued in June, which classified countries by their level of national security threat and counter-terrorism measures. The "highest" category included 12 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Yemen, and others. The next category, with partial entry restrictions, included seven more countries, among them Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. Trump had previously stated his intention to "permanently suspend" migration from "all third-world countries" to ensure the restoration of the U.S. immigration system.
