US Suspends Immigration Processing for 19 Countries Amid Heightened Security Push

The United States government has temporarily stopped processing pp applications for citizens of 19 countries as part of an expanded security crackdown. The suspension covers green card and citizenship filings from nations already under earlier travel restrictions announced in June, intensifying a policy shift driven by recent security concerns.

.

The move follows the shooting of two National Guard soldiers last week, an incident in which one soldier died. The main suspect—an Afghan national who entered the US during the 2021 evacuation—has pleaded not guilty to murder charges. Senior officials say the case exposed glaring lapses in screening and accelerated efforts to tighten immigration controls.

According to an internal directive, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is shifting its focus toward enhanced vetting and stricter adjudication practices. The memo argues that insufficient scrutiny has posed risks to public safety, citing last week’s case as evidence for immediate changes.

The countries affected include Afghanistan, Yemen, Haiti, Venezuela, Sudan, Somalia, and a wider group subject to earlier travel restrictions. The existing list also covers Burundi, Chad, Republic of Congo, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Iran, Laos, Libya, Myanmar, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Turkmenistan.

President Donald Trump has reiterated his intention to impose far-reaching curbs, stating that migration from what he described as “Third World Countries” would be paused to allow security agencies to “fully recover.” Homeland Security chief Kristi Noem has similarly pushed for broader travel bans, publicly advocating a more aggressive expansion of restricted nations.

In a parallel development, federal authorities are reportedly preparing a major enforcement operation in Minnesota targeting Somali immigrants—an action that has drawn immediate opposition from local officials. Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey stressed that city institutions would not assist in federal crackdowns, emphasising continued support for immigrant communities.

The US government is expected to release further details on the duration and scope of the immigration suspension in the coming days