U.S. Halts All Immigration Applications from 19 Banned Countries

Oath and Naturalization Ceremonies Abruptly Canceled

The New York Times (NYT) reported on December 2 (local time) that the Donald Trump administration has suspended the processing of various immigration applications submitted by immigrants from 19 countries that have been banned from entering the United States.

Previously, in June, President Trump issued a proclamation announcing a complete or partial ban on entry into the United States for nationals of 19 countries. Twelve countries-Iran, Yemen, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Libya, Somalia, and Sudan-were designated as countries subject to a total entry ban. Seven other countries-Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela-were placed under partial restrictions.

Donald Trump, President of the United States. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

Matthew Trageser, spokesperson for the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), confirmed to the NYT that the processing of immigration applications from immigrants from these 19 countries has been suspended. He stated, "The Trump administration is doing everything possible to ensure that only the best of the best become citizens. Citizenship is a privilege, not a right." He added, "We will not take risks on issues that concern the future of our country."

This suspension applies to applications for permanent residency and U.S. citizenship. According to immigration lawyers, oath and naturalization ceremonies for new citizens, as well as interviews for obtaining permanent residency, have been canceled without explanation, and no further steps have been communicated.

Anna Maria Schwartz, an immigration lawyer based in Texas, said that two Venezuelan clients from her law firm went to the USCIS field office in Houston for interviews, only to find out that their interviews had been canceled without clear reason. She noted that there was already a significant backlog in processing, stating, "Everything is on hold. It's like a traffic jam, and the situation is only going to get worse."

Elisa J. Taub, an immigration lawyer in Tennessee, said that a physician who is a U.S. permanent resident born in Iran, represented by a colleague, was scheduled to undergo the citizenship oath and naturalization process this week but received a cancellation notice. She explained, "Through the immigration lawyers' network, I've learned that this is not an isolated incident," adding, "There have been cases where citizenship oath ceremonies for applicants from Venezuela and Iran have been canceled."

On December 1, USCIS posted on social media that "any action may be taken until all foreign nationals are screened and vetted to the maximum extent possible."

Following a shooting incident targeting the National Guard in Washington, D.C. on November 26, the day before Thanksgiving, the Trump administration has ramped up its anti-immigration policy drive.

On November 27, President Trump stated on the social media platform Truth Social, "We will permanently halt all migration from Third World countries." He did not specify which countries are considered "Third World" or what exactly "permanently halting migration" means, but the Department of Homeland Security explained that the 19 countries subject to the entry ban are considered Third World countries.

Subsequently, on November 28, USCIS announced that it would strengthen the vetting process for foreigners who have entered and are residing in the United States.

As a result of these Trump administration policies, it is estimated that 1.5 million asylum seekers and about 50,000 people who were granted asylum during the Biden administration will be affected.