President Donald Trump has pledged to “permanently pause migration” to the United States from what he called “Third World” countries, following the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C.
Although Trump did not spell out exactly which nations he was referring to in his late-Thursday remarks, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has indicated it will review green cards held by immigrants from 19 countries.
When asked which nations would fall under this review, USCIS pointed to a June presidential proclamation that listed countries including Haiti, Iran, Libya and Afghanistan.
Why It Matters
The Trump administration has launched a broad review—and, in some instances, a freeze—of immigration applications and green card approvals after a high-profile shooting near the White House. In that incident, one of the targets, 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom, was killed and another, 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe, was critically injured.
The suspect is from Afghanistan, a fact that has intensified the national debate over how immigrants are vetted and how far U.S. border and asylum policies should go.
What To Know
Joseph B. Edlow, director of USCIS, announced Thursday in a post on X that the Department of Homeland Security’s agency will conduct a “full-scale, rigorous reexamination” of immigrants from “every country of concern.”
Pressed on which countries were included, USCIS pointed to a White House proclamation restricting entry to the United States for nationals from 19 nations. The proclamation cited weak security vetting, poor information-sharing practices and the inability of some governments to reliably verify their citizens’ identities.
The proclamation states: “Many of these countries have also taken advantage of the United States in their exploitation of our visa system and their historic failure to accept back their removable nationals.”
Full List of Countries Facing Green Card Reviews
The following countries are described as having shortcomings in their screening procedures and as posing “significant risks of overstaying their visas in the United States.”
- Afghanistan
- Myanmar (Burma)
- Chad
- Republic of the Congo
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Haiti
- Iran
- Libya
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Yemen
- Burundi
- Cuba
- Laos
- Sierra Leone
- Togo
- Turkmenistan
- Venezuela
Nationals from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen are now subject to a full suspension of entry.
Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela face partial restrictions, including tougher visa requirements and shorter permitted stays.
Specifics about how these suspensions will be applied—including any case-by-case waivers or broader exemptions—remain limited.
What People Are Saying
Trump said: “I will permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the U.S. system to fully recover, terminate all of the millions of Biden illegal admissions, including those signed by Sleepy Joe Biden’s Autopen, and remove anyone who is not a net asset to the United States.”
Joseph Edlow, director of USCIS, said: “The protection of this country and of the American people remains paramount, and the American people will not bear the cost of the prior administration’s reckless resettlement policies. American safety is non-negotiable.”
Research in the Annual Review of Criminology has challenged claims that immigrants are more likely to commit crimes than U.S. citizens. It states: “With few exceptions, studies conducted at both the aggregate and individual levels demonstrate that high concentrations of immigrants are not associated with increased levels of crime and delinquency across neighborhoods and cities in the United States.”
What Happens Next
Applicants from the listed countries who are already nearing the end of the green card process have been told that the proclamation “shall not apply to an individual who has been granted asylum by the United States, to a refugee who has already been admitted to the United States, or to an individual granted withholding of removal or protection under the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment of Punishment (CAT).”
It further states: “Nothing in this proclamation shall be construed to limit the ability of an individual to seek asylum, refugee status, withholding of removal, or protection under the CAT, consistent with the laws of the United States.”
As security agencies carry out further reviews, the outlook for affected migrants is still unclear. Trump’s directives could affect thousands of families and significantly alter long-standing U.S. immigration pathways, including permanent residency and asylum programs.
