Quick reads
- The U.S. government has ordered an immediate, wide re-examination of green cards and certain asylum cases tied to 19 countries of concern.
- The move follows the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C.; officials identified an Afghan national as the suspect.
- USCIS guidance now allows officers to treat country-specific factors from those nations as “significant negative factors” in adjudications.
- The June presidential proclamation that first named the list suspended or limited entry from several of those countries; the White House document and news agencies list nations including Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, Iran, Somalia and Venezuela, among others.
- Rights groups and advocates warned the change could affect long-standing immigration and refugee protections; officials say measures are for national security.
When
The policy escalation and related USCIS guidance were announced in late November 2025, immediately after the Washington, D.C. shooting that prompted the review. The original presidential proclamation naming the countries dates to June 4, 2025.
Where
The actions and guidance were issued by U.S. federal authorities, the White House, Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and affect immigration files across the United States.
How
Officials say the re-examination is being carried out by USCIS and DHS using new guidance that permits officers to weigh negative, country-specific factors for applicants from the 19 named countries when deciding green card and related immigration requests. The change is effective immediately and applies to pending and new cases identified as coming from those countries. Authorities frame the step as a national-security precaution; critics say it risks sweeping, discretionary denials.
Story in short
The U.S. administration has ordered a sweeping review of green cards and certain asylum approvals connected to nationals of 19 countries after an Afghan national was accused of shooting two National Guard members in Washington, D.C. Federal agencies led by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Department of Homeland Security said officers should immediately consider “country-specific factors” as significant negative factors when adjudicating immigration requests from those nations.
The 19 countries referenced match a June presidential proclamation that imposed full or partial entry suspensions on several states deemed to have weak identity-management or poor cooperation on repatriation and vetting. That earlier proclamation and subsequent reporting list nations including Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, Iran, Somalia and Venezuela, among others, affected by the rules. Officials say the step is meant to protect national security; the administration has framed it as closing gaps identified in screening and vetting.
Advocates for refugees and civil-rights groups warned the guidance could cause broad, discretionary reviews that delay or deny lawful permanent residence for many people who have long ties in the U.S. Legal advocates are also watching whether the change will be applied uniformly and whether it will be subject to legal challenges. Agencies say the measure is effective immediately and will be applied to pending and new requests tied to the listed countries.
Because the administration has tied the step to a recent violent incident, the policy shift is already drawing intense political and legal scrutiny. Officials point to the need for stricter vetting; critics say national-security arguments should not be used to target entire nationalities or to override long-standing refugee and immigration protections.
