The United States has halted the processing of immigration applications from 19 countries currently affected by a travel ban, according to an internal memo. Immigration officials have been instructed to pause the final approval of these cases and delay citizenship ceremonies for applicants who were about to be naturalised.
The move comes as former President Donald Trump reportedly considers expanding a travel ban on several countries that have not yet been mentioned. The Homeland Security Secretary, Kristi Noem, claims that the banning are for countries “flooding” the US with criminal activity.
This comes amid heightened scrutiny of immigration rules following last week’s shooting in Washington, DC, which left one National Guard soldier dead and another critically injured. The suspect in the attack is an Afghan national living in the United States.
On 4 June, the White House initially announced immigration restrictions for 19 countries, mainly in Africa, the Middle East, and the Caribbean, imposing full or partial travel bans. On Tuesday, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued guidance implementing the pause. Last week, the agency also halted all asylum decisions and said it would review green card approvals for migrants from the affected countries.
The USCIS memo made the scope of the restrictions clear, stating that the pause covers all forms, final decisions, including approvals and denials and any citizenship oath ceremonies. USCIS spokesperson Matthew Tragesser told the New York Times that the administration wants to ensure that those becoming citizens represent “the best of the best,” emphasizing that citizenship is a privilege, not a right.
Immigration attorneys report that some clients have had their citizenship hearings canceled this week, including migrants from Venezuela, Iran, and Afghanistan. For many, the naturalisation ceremony is the final step after up to five years of processing. These ceremonies usually involve gatherings where new citizens pledge their oath of allegiance, often waving small American flags.
The potential expansion of the travel ban to 30 countries remains under discussion. It is not yet clear which countries would be included or when the expanded restrictions might take effect. US authorities have indicated that an official announcement is forthcoming.
Source: BBC News
