This decision comes after a deadly attack on two National Guard members, which has led to an intensification of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown
The US State Department has announced an immediate pause on issuing visas to individuals traveling on Afghan passports, citing public safety concerns.
This decision comes after a deadly attack on two National Guard members, which has led to an intensification of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has also halted all asylum decisions until further notice, ensuring that every applicant undergoes thorough vetting and screening. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that protecting the nation and its people is the top priority .
The move is part of a broader effort to enhance national security, with the administration reviewing green card applications from nationals of 19 countries deemed high-risk.
The affected countries include Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
The moves are the latest in a series of escalating restrictions imposed on immigration into the US at Trump’s urging.
Trump, who called the deadly Washington, DC, shooting a “terrorist attack”, has on several occasions over recent days attacked former President Joe Biden’s administration’s immigration policies, including the granting of visas to Afghan nationals who worked with US forces in Afghanistan.
Lakanwal came to the US under a Biden-era programme known as “Operation Allies Welcome”, following the US withdrawal in 2021.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Thursday, Trump ordered authorities to re-examine all green card applications from 19 “countries of concern”, before saying he planned to suspend immigration from “all Third World countries”.
He did not define the term “Third World”, but the phrase is often used as a shorthand for developing countries in the Global South.
Trump also said that he would “remove anyone who is not a net asset to the United States, or is incapable of loving our Country”.
“[I will] denaturalize migrants who undermine domestic tranquillity, and deport any foreign national who is a public charge, security risk, or non-compatible with Western civilization,” he said.
Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has already taken aggressive measures to restrict immigration, announcing in October his administration would accept only 7,500 refugees in 2026 – the lowest number since 1980.
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