The U.S. government announced that it has halted immigration applications from citizens of 19 countries, including Afghanistan and Iran
This action includes halting the process of issuing Green Cards and U.S. citizenship to citizens of these countries.
Immigration lawyers told The New York Times that the naturalization oath ceremonies and green card applicant interview sessions have been canceled for citizens of the mentioned countries.
Severe restrictions on travel to the United States were imposed on citizens of these countries in June, and now, in a stricter measure considered a central pillar of the Trump administration’s political agenda, a complete ban has been placed upon them.
In explaining its new immigration policy, the U.S. government referred to several security incidents, including an attack on National Guard forces, whose suspects are immigrants.
Afghanistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Libya, Myanmar, Eritrea, Cuba, Haiti, Chad, Sudan, Yemen, Laos, Somalia, Venezuela, Sierra Leone, Togo, Burundi, Republic of the Congo, and Equatorial Guinea are the countries whose citizens’ immigration applications have been halted by the U.S.
The U.S. government has stated that all immigrants from these countries must be re-vetted, which includes conducting new interviews.
Donald Trump has used harsher rhetoric against immigrants in the U.S. in recent days. He referred to Somali immigrants as “filth” and called Afghan refugees “vile and violent.
