Trump blocks all immigration applications from 19 countries in wake of DC shootings

Trump administration has banned All immigration applications from 19 countries There were already restrictions on travel to the United States following the shooting of two National Guard soldiers in Washington, D.C.

A memo issued Tuesday by US Citizenship and Immigration Services said comprehensive re-review, prospective interview and re-interview was required of all aliens from high-risk countries of concern entering the US on or after January 20, 2021.

“USCIS has determined that it must enforce this Judicial stay on all pending asylum applications, “Regardless of the foreign country’s nationality, as well as pending benefit requests filed by foreigners from high-risk countries,” the memorandum Said,

“USCIS recognizes that this directive may result in a delay in the decision of some pending applications and has weighed that consequence against the immediate need for the Agency to ensure that applicants are screened and screened to the maximum possible degree,” the memo said.

Afghan citizen Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who pleaded not guilty to murder in the Thanksgiving eve shooting, entered the US legally under the Biden administration and was also granted asylum after President Donald Trump took office this year.

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West Virginia Service Member sarah beckstrom He died from injuries sustained in the attack, while a second guardsman, 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe, remains in critical condition.

People seeking immigration status from 19 countries deemed high-risk by the Trump administration include people applying for green cards and U.S. citizenship. Many people wait months, sometimes years, to receive their immigration status.

The countries affected by the ban are some of the world’s most unstable countries, which Trump previously imposed sanctions on in June and include Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.

Citizens of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela were partially banned from entering the US by Trump and are affected by this ban.

Matthew Tragesser, a spokesman for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, said, “The Trump administration is making every effort to ensure that individuals who are becoming citizens are getting the best possible treatment. Citizenship is a privilege, not a right.” the new York Times, Who first reported the stoppage. “We will take no risks when the future of our country is at stake.”

The ban comes after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem proposed a sweeping new travel ban on “every country that is filling our country with murderers, leeches and entitlement junkies” in a post on Monday.

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Noem said, “Our ancestors built this country on blood, sweat and an unwavering love of freedom — not for foreign invaders to kill our heroes, siphon our hard-earned tax dollars or take away the benefits Americans deserve.”

The president later shared his post on Truth Social without comment, while the official DHS couple: “every country.”

As of 2024, more than 1 million people are waiting for a decision on their asylum applications Homeland Security reportOf those cases, more than 786,000 people were waiting more than 180 days for a decision in their positive asylum cases,

Immigration lawyers told Times In view of the memo, his clients’ interviews were canceled “for no apparent reason” upon arrival.

Lawyers raised concerns about what effect the moratorium would have on an already strained system.

“Everything is being put on hold,” Texas immigration attorney Anna Maria Schwartz told the outlet. “It’s just like a traffic jam, and it’s getting worse and worse and worse.”

19 countries affected by Trump administration’s stoppage