Trump reveals all 19 countries now under ‘immigration freeze’ as White House prepare to expand travel ban
President Donald Trump’s administration has frozen immigration applications from citizens of 19 countries. The policy cites national security and public safety concerns.
This expansion follows a recent fatal shooting in Washington, D.C., allegedly committed by an Afghan national who entered legally in 2021. Applications from Afghanistan were the first to be halted.
The affected countries include Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Iran, Somalia, Venezuela, and several others. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has advocated for even broader travel bans.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joseph Edlow linked the policy directly to the shooting. He criticized the prior administration for dismantling vetting standards.
Edlow stated that officers must now consider country-specific factors as significant negatives in reviews. He emphasized that “American lives come first” under this new approach.
The freeze could impact over 1.4 million people with pending asylum applications. The move represents a significant tightening of U.S. immigration policy.
This action continues the Trump administration’s broader clampdown on immigration. It marks a decisive shift toward stricter vetting procedures for applicants from designated nations.
