US Freezes Immigration Requests From 19 “High-Risk” Countries

THE United States has suspended all pending asylum applications and immigration benefit requests submitted by nationals of 19 countries designated as “high-risk,” following a new directive issued by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) under the Trump administration.

According to the internal policy memo released Tuesday, USCIS officers have been instructed to halt the processing of all Form I-589 asylum applications nationwide—regardless of the applicant’s nationality—while the agency conducts a “comprehensive review” of current vetting procedures.

In addition, the memo orders an immediate freeze on all pending immigration benefit requests—including work permits, green card applications, and other status adjustments—filed by nationals of the 19 countries listed in Presidential Proclamation 10949. Officers are also directed to revisit previously approved cases for individuals from these countries who entered the US on or after January 20, 2021. This re-review may involve new interviews, background checks, and additional security screening.

The proclamation covers citizens of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen, while imposing partial restrictions on Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

The sweeping halt follows President Donald Trump’s call for stronger immigration controls after the fatal shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C. last week. The suspect—a 29-year-old Afghan national who received asylum in April—reportedly entered the U.S. in 2021 during the post-withdrawal evacuation from Afghanistan and had previously worked with various U.S. government agencies, including the CIA.

The new directive marks one of the administration’s most significant escalations in immigration vetting, signaling broader security-driven reviews that could delay or derail thousands of pending applications.