Donald Trump’s administration has imposed an immediate freeze on all immigration applications by nationals of 19 countries previously subject to a travel ban to the US, prompting widespread disruptions to green card interviews and naturalization ceremonies.
Trump’s immigration ban includes migrants who have already passed citizenship tests and those who entered after January 20, 2021
The move, confirmed by senior officials and reported by The New York Times on Tuesday, represents one of the largest immigration slowdowns in recent years and deepens the administration’s security crackdown after the attacks.
What’s causing the new pause in immigration?
The suspension comes days after two National Guard members were shot near the White House in Washington, an incident authorities linked to Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan who was granted asylum in April. In response, the administration announced sweeping new screening measures and hinted that more restrictions could follow.
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US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) spokesman Matthew Tragesser defended the decision. “The Trump administration is making every effort to ensure that the individuals who become citizens are the best of the best. Citizenship is a privilege, not a right,” NYT quoted Tragesser as saying. “We will not take any chances when the future of our nation is at stake.”
Which countries are affected – and does it include India?
The pause only applies to people from the 19 countries previously covered by the June travel ban(NOW)
The pause only applies to people from the 19 countries previously included in the June travel ban, which reportedly covers Iran, Sudan, Eritrea, Haiti, Somalia, Venezuela and several other low-income or conflict-affected countries.
India is not on the travel ban list and is therefore not affected by this application suspension.
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Indian applicants for US green cards, H-1B visa adjustments, US citizenship and other immigration benefits should not experience cancellations associated with this particular policy change.
What does this mean for green card and citizenship processing?
The freeze affects several stages of the immigration system:
- Green Card and Adjustment of Status Interviews
- Lawyers in several states reported that clients were turned away from interview appointments without notice.
“Everything is on hold,” said Texas attorney Ana Maria Schwartz. “It’s like a traffic jam and it’s only going to get worse and worse and worse.”
Naturalization ceremonies
Some applicants, including long-term US residents, have been notified that their citizenship oath has been revoked.
Elissa J Taub, an immigration attorney based in Tennessee, described one such case involving an Iranian-born doctor:
“We have heard through our network of immigration lawyers that this is not an isolated case. People from Venezuela and Iran are having their naturalization oath ceremonies revoked.”
Pending asylum and previous asylum grants
The administration has also suspended asylum decisions and is reviewing tens of thousands of asylum applications issued during the Biden administration.
USCIS emphasized the scope and severity of the shift: “Nothing is off the table until every alien is vetted and screened to the fullest extent possible.”
How many people can be affected?
Before these changes, more than 1.5 million asylum applications had already been processed, with more than 50,000 individuals granted asylum in recent years.
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It remains unclear how many citizens of countries with travel bans currently have applications pending action, but immigration lawyers warn the number is likely to be substantial.
Will the pause worsen the existing backlog?
The US immigration system is already experiencing unprecedented processing delays. Lawyers warn that adding a blanket pause on top of the existing backlog could bring parts of the system to a halt.
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“This pause will put further strain on a system that is already struggling,” Schwartz said. Many applicants have waited years for interviews which are now disappearing from government planning systems “with no guidance on how to proceed”.
what’s next
Homeland Security officials have indicated that the pause is only the first step in a broader security overhaul. They also examine:
- Green cards previously issued to citizens of 19 affected countries
- Asylum applications granted in recent years
- Additional travel restrictions and status adjustments
The administration’s position suggests that the freeze could remain in place for an extended period of time.
