US pauses immigration for 19 ‘high-risk’ nations including Haiti and Cuba

The United States government has placed a temporary hold on immigration applications for people from 19 countries already subject to travel restrictions introduced in June, according to a new policy memo.

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The measure impacts applications being handled by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and specifically covers asylum, green cards, and citizenship cases. Nationals from the affected countries include people from Venezuela, Cuba, Burundi, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.

USCIS acknowledged the administrative impact, writing:

“USCIS has considered that this direction may result in delay to the adjudication of some pending applications and has weighed that consequence against the urgent need for the agency to ensure that applicants are vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible.”

Under the new policy, individuals from nations outlined in the June travel review will undergo “a thorough re-review process, including a potential interview and, if necessary, a re-interview, to fully assess all national security and public safety threats.”

The pause applies regardless of arrival date, meaning anyone already in the United States could now be subject to extra screening.

The memo further clarifies the scope of the hold, stating:

“In light of identified concerns and the threat to the American people, USCIS has determined that a comprehensive re-review, potential interview, and re-interview of all aliens from high-risk countries of concern who entered the United States on or after January 20, 2021 is necessary.”

“Lastly, USCIS may, when appropriate, extend this review and re-interview process to aliens who entered the United States outside of this timeframe.”

According to USCIS, more than 1.4 million pending asylum applications may be affected by the new adjudicative freeze. The memo adds that the agency is implementing “an adjudicative hold on all pending asylum applications, regardless of the alien’s country of nationality, as well as pending benefit requests filed by aliens from high-risk countries.”

USCIS also emphasized its ongoing mandate for vetting, writing:

“USCIS remains committed to ensuring that all aliens from high-risk countries of concern that entered the United States do not present threats to national security or public safety.”

The decision remains open-ended, with authority resting solely in the hands of the agency’s director. The memo confirms that it is “up to the agency’s director, Joseph Edlow, on when to lift the pause,” signaling uncertainty for applicants awaiting answers on their cases.

No timeline has been shared for when processing may resume.