Heightened Scrutiny on Immigration Applications from 20 Nations
Recent policy changes by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have resulted in a temporary halt on immigration applications from 20 additional countries. This move comes on the heels of expanded travel restrictions that took effect at the beginning of the year.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the decision through a memo issued last Thursday. The memo specifies that all pending applications for visas, green cards, citizenship, or asylum from these countries will be paused, with a re-evaluation of applications dating back to 2021.
The countries affected by the new restrictions are primarily located in Africa, including nations such as Angola, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.
In December, the Trump administration expanded the list of countries subject to travel restrictions to include a total of 39 countries, along with the Palestinian Authority. This action is part of a broader effort to intensify scrutiny on individuals seeking permanent residency in the United States through legal channels.
The memo explains, “USCIS remains dedicated to ensuring aliens from high-risk countries of concern who have entered the United States do not pose risks to national security or public safety.” It adds, “To faithfully uphold United States immigration law, the flow of aliens from countries with high overstay rates, significant fraud, or both must stop.”
Exemptions to the pause are noted for specific groups, such as athletes and their teams participating in international events like the World Cup and the 2026 Olympics, which are hosted by the U.S. this year.
This approach was first considered after an incident involving an Afghan national who was arrested following a shooting that injured two National Guard members during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
By late 2025, the DHS began implementing steps to further pause and scrutinize these immigration avenues. The USCIS, responsible for processing applications for visas, naturalization, and asylum, announced plans to reassess the status of those admitted as refugees under the Biden administration.
Furthermore, USCIS has already put an indefinite hold on all asylum application processing as it addresses a significant backlog.
