WASHINGTON (MNN) – The Trump administration has implemented the most extensive internal suspension of immigration benefits seen in decades, directing United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to stop all asylum decisions and freeze a wide array of applications from nationals of 19 countries deemed “high-risk.” Additionally, thousands of previously approved cases are being reopened for new security screening.
The sweeping order, sent to USCIS field offices this week, comes in response to several violent incidents involving Afghan nationals admitted under earlier programmes. The White House concluded that vetting procedures from 2021 to 2024 were seriously inadequate, prompting a complete overhaul of immigration screening.
This move mirrors Presidential Proclamation 10949 issued in June, which barred entry to citizens of the same 19 countries. Now, those individuals already inside the US face major restrictions as well. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has recommended expanding the list to more than 30 countries.
In a statement posted on X, Secretary Noem said that the US was built through sacrifice and devotion to freedom — not to support “foreign invaders” who, she claimed, pose economic and security threats. The statement followed her meeting with President Donald Trump, who has recently signed multiple executive orders tightening immigration controls.
The USCIS directive places an immediate halt on all asylum adjudications, irrespective of applicants’ nationality. Lawyers say they cannot recall any moment in US history when asylum processing was suspended entirely.
The order also freezes numerous immigration benefits for nationals of the 19 restricted countries, including green card petitions, travel documents, replacement cards, parole extensions and applications related to naturalisation. Even routine services such as replacing lost green cards have been paused.
Perhaps the most sweeping measure is retroactive review. USCIS has been ordered to reopen and scrutinise all approved benefits for nationals of the listed countries who entered the US on or after January 20, 2021. Many will be summoned for mandatory interviews without the possibility of exemption, and cases will be referred to law enforcement if any concerns arise.
The directive cites two recent incidents that triggered the policy shift: the guilty plea of Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, accused of planning an Islamic State-inspired attack on the 2024 Election Day, and the arrest of Rahmanullah Lakanwal, charged with killing a National Guard member in Washington. Both men entered the US after 2021, and officials say their cases exposed serious failures in identity verification and interagency vetting.
The memo also refers to President Trump’s Executive Order 14161, issued on his first day in office, which called for a reassessment of vulnerabilities across the immigration system. Under the new rules, even individuals who previously passed all background checks — including some green card holders and asylum recipients — may be required to undergo updated screening and in-person interviews.
USCIS acknowledges that these measures will create delays but insists that national security takes priority. No timeline has been given for the resumption of asylum processing or other suspended immigration benefits.
Earlier, Secretary Noem urged legal professionals to join the Justice Department as deportation judges, offering annual salaries between $159,951 and $207,500.
Immigration advocates expect multiple legal challenges, noting that the directive effectively shuts down the asylum system nationwide and reopens years’ worth of resolved cases. Administration officials argue that the steps are essential to safeguard Americans amid ongoing security gaps.
For now, hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers and applicants from the affected countries remain in uncertainty as the government conducts what it calls a “top-to-bottom” review of US immigration vetting.
