DHS Halts Immigration Applications from 20 More Countries

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced a halt on immigration applications from an additional 20 countries, expanding existing travel restrictions that began on January 1. This move affects various visa types, including applications for green cards, citizenship, and asylum.

DHS Immigration Application Halt Details

In a memo released by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the agency detailed a pause in the review of all pending applications from certain countries identified as high-risk. This review process will also include a reassessment of applications dating back to 2021.

Countries Affected

The list primarily includes nations from Africa, such as:

• Angola
• Nigeria
• Senegal
• Tanzania
• Zimbabwe

With this recent action, the total number of countries under travel restrictions has increased from 19 to 39, along with the Palestinian Authority. This escalation follows heightened scrutiny from the Trump administration over immigration policies and their implications for national security.

Rationale Behind the Halt

The DHS memo emphasizes the need to secure the United States from potential risks associated with immigration from these high-overstay and high-fraud countries. Officials state:

“USCIS remains dedicated to ensuring aliens from high-risk countries of concern who have entered the United States do not pose risks to national security or public safety.”

In light of these measures, some exceptions are made. Notably, athletes and their teams competing in global events like the World Cup and the Olympics may still proceed with their applications.

Background Context

The initiative to further scrutinize immigration applications was partly instigated by a recent incident involving an Afghan national suspected of a violent crime against National Guard members. The agency is now also reviewing applications from individuals who were accepted into the U.S. as refugees during the Biden administration, reopening those cases for analysis.

Additionally, USCIS has previously announced an indefinite pause on asylum application processing to address its significant case backlog.