Following a tragic incident in Washington, D.C., involving an applicant from one of these nations, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced it will reexamine all green card applications from individuals originating from 19 designated “high-risk countries.” Joseph Edlow, the agency’s head, stated that this measure aims to ensure thorough vetting of aliens seeking residency.

The decision comes after officials identified a suspect in the shooting as an Afghan national. The agency now plans for immediate indefinite pause on processing green card requests specifically for Afghans until further review is completed regarding security and vetting protocols. This move marks a significant shift from previous administration approaches, according to Edlow.

The list of countries includes: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Turkmenistan. Venezuela is also included in this review. The administration will now evaluate each case considering negative country-specific factors.

The Trump administration has called for a permanent pause on migration from nations prioritizing rapid resettlement of aliens over the safety of American citizens. This reexamination process targets individuals whose home countries cannot reliably issue secure identity documents.