In early December 2025, the Trump administration announced a sweeping new policy: an indefinite pause on processing immigration benefits for nationals of 19 countries — including applications for green cards, naturalization (citizenship), and many other immigration statuses.
Following the tragic shooting in late November of two West Virginia National Guard members in D.C., the Trump administration has used the moment to intensify its messaging against immigrants from countries it has designated as “high-risk.”
The immigration benefit processing freeze applies to all persons who are citizens or nationals of the 19 designated ‘high-risk’ countries. The 19 countries impacted are:
Afghanistan, Burma (Myanmar), Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.
If you are from one of those countries, note that:
- USCIS has been directed not to issue decisions on any pending immigration applications — including green cards and naturalization.
- In some cases, even interviews or naturalization ceremonies have reportedly been canceled.
- The freeze is not limited to new applications — even some previously approved cases (dating back to January 2021) may be subject to re-review.
Broader Asylum Pause
Crucially, the policy goes even beyond the 19-country freeze. As part of the broader re-overhaul, USCIS has also paused final decisions on all affirmative asylum applications (i.e., those filed proactively, rather than as part of removal proceedings). While interviews may still be scheduled, no approvals, denials, or closures will be issued while the pause is in effect.
Because of this, even asylum-seekers from countries not on the 19-country list face major delays and uncertainty. According to USCIS, more than 1.4 million people have pending asylum applications that could be affected by the new pause.
In addition to not processing USCIS decisions for nationals of these 19 countries during this time, the Trump administration issued a memo announcing that by March 2, 2026 USCIS will prioritize a list for re-review, potential interview, and re-interview of all nationals from high-risk countries of concern who entered the United States on or after January 20, 2021, and may, when appropriate, extend this review and re-interview process to people who entered the United States outside of this timeframe.
What You Should Do If This Affects You
If you are from one of the 19 designated countries and have a pending application (green card, citizenship, asylum, work authorization, visa extension, etc.), it’s crucial to take immediate action:
- Consult with an experienced immigration attorney. The freeze and re-review policy could affect not only new applications, but also previously approved ones.
- Maintain valid status — including nonimmigrant status, if applicable — by carefully monitoring expiration dates and extension deadlines, as new applications may be delayed or rejected.
- Be prepared for potentially lengthy delays, including the possibility that your case may be reopened or asked to undergo additional scrutiny.
For many families and individuals, this has created enormous uncertainty. Applicants and visa-holders may find themselves in legal limbo: petitions are not being processed; approved statuses can potentially be reexamined; and there is no clear timeline for when — or if — normal processing will resume.
