The United States government has suspended immigration applications for citizens of 10 African nations, alongside applicants from six Asian countries and three countries in the Americas, in one of the most far-reaching immigration restrictions introduced in recent years.
The affected African countries include Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Burundi, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
Asian nationals from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Iran, Yemen, Laos, and Turkmenistan are also included, while applicants from Haiti, Venezuela, and Cuba face the same restrictions.
According to a government memorandum, the U.S. has paused the processing of green cards and citizenship applications for nationals of these countries, all of which were already under travel restrictions announced in June by President Donald Trump.
Policy Tightened After Fatal Shooting
Senior U.S. officials signaled in recent days that the administration would sharply tighten immigration rules following the shooting of two National Guard soldiers last week. One soldier was killed in the attack, and the suspect—an Afghan national who entered the United States during the 2021 evacuation from Afghanistan—has pleaded not guilty to murder charges.
The memo cited the incident as evidence of failures in previous screening procedures, stating that the United States had seen “what a lack of screening, vetting, and prioritizing expedient adjudications can do to the American people.”
“USCIS plays an instrumental role in preventing terrorists from seeking safe haven in the United States,” the memorandum added, stressing that vetting processes must prioritize national security.
Trump: ‘Permanent Pause’ on Immigration From Developing Nations
President Trump, who has long pushed for a massive overhaul of the U.S. immigration system, said on November 26 that he planned to “permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the U.S. system to fully recover.”
U.S. Homeland Security chief Kristi Noem has echoed the president’s stance, urging an expansion of the current travel-ban list. In a message posted on X, she said:
“I am recommending a full travel ban on every damn country that’s been flooding our nation with killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies.”
Local Backlash Over Planned Enforcement
Meanwhile, U.S. media reported that federal authorities are preparing a major immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota, targeting Somali immigrants. The plan has sparked strong resistance from state and local officials.
Read Also:
Kwara recruits 2,600 forest guards to strengthen rural security
Tinubu orders withdrawal of police guards from VIPs, directs deployment to core policing duties
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said the city would not support the operation, stating:
“Our values and our commitments to the Somali community, to every community of immigrants and people in our city, is rock solid and will be unwavering.”
The latest restrictions expand an already controversial immigration framework and signal a new phase in the Trump administration’s push to reduce migration from Africa, Asia, and parts of Latin America. Critics warn the policy may fuel tensions with affected communities and allies, while supporters say it strengthens national security.
