Citizenship on Hold: Immigration Offices Told to Freeze Cases From Dozens of Nations
The United States has halted processing of all immigration applications from 19 countries already under a travel ban, according to an internal memo obtained by CBS News.
The directive instructs immigration officers to halt final adjudications in every case and to suspend naturalisation ceremonies for applicants who are close to receiving citizenship.
The action comes as reports indicate that President Donald Trump is weighing expanding the June travel order from 19 countries to as many as 30. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has recommended broadening the list to 30-32 countries, though it remains unclear which nations may be added or when any announcement will be made.
The latest restrictions follow last week’s shooting in Washington, DC, that killed National Guard soldier Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and critically injured Andrew Wolfe, 24. The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is an Afghan national who once worked with U.S. forces and later resettled in the U.S. through a special program.
He was granted asylum under the Trump administration.
On 4 June, the White House designated 19 nations in Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean for full or partial immigration limits. These include Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services confirmed the pause, which applies to all form types and prevents officers from issuing approvals or denials or completing oath ceremonies. The agency also suspended asylum decisions last week and said it would re-examine green cards already issued to migrants from countries subject to the ban.
USCIS spokesman Matthew Tragesser issued the following statement via The New York Times.
“The Trump administration is making every effort to ensure that individuals becoming citizens are the best of the best. Citizenship is a privilege, not a right.”
ABC News reports that several clients from affected nations have had citizenship hearings canceled. The move comes on the heels of the president calling Somalia “garbage,” claiming the nation “stinks” and doubling down on his remarks that he does not want Somalians residing in the U.S.