Photo: KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
What’s Happening
Following the recent shooting of two National Guardsmen reportedly by an Afghan national legally residing in the U.S., the Trump administration issued several alarming statements targeting the Afghan community. On social media, President Trump called for the “reexamination” of all Afghans who came to the U.S. during Biden’s presidency and declared that he would “pause all migration from Third World Countries.”
On Dec. 2, USCIS issued a sweeping decision to halt all pending asylum applications, regardless of nationality, and pause all pending immigration-related applications for individuals from the 19 countries included in Trump’s 2025 travel ban. These measures also direct USCIS to review approved immigration applications for individuals from those countries.
These punitive immigration measures could affect tens of thousands of refugees, asylum seekers, green card holders, and families seeking reunification.
Click here to read CAIR’s statement about the National Guardsmen attack.
Policy Changes
Federal agencies recently announced proposed broad immigration restrictions, including:
- Pausing all visa issuance and immigration requests for Afghan nationals indefinitely, “pending further review of security and vetting protocols.”
- Halting all asylum application decisions, regardless of applicant’s country of nationality.
- Reexamining lawful permanent resident grants, also known as green cards, halting all other immigration approvals and pending applications for nationals from all countries included in the travel ban, and pausing benefit reviews for applicants from these countries.
- Issuing new guidance about the use of “negative, country specific factors” to be considered when vetting new immigration applications for nationals of travel ban countries.
Some of these policies were announced through federal agencies’ social media accounts immediately following the incident in D.C.
Click here to learn more about Trump’s 2025 travel ban.
What This Means for Pending Applications
While the full impact of this decision remains unclear, the halt of all new and pending applications for Afghans and nationals of other countries could result in indefinite delays for immigrants and asylum seekers.
At this time, it is unknown when the suspension will be lifted and what exceptions will be included.
What This Means for Green Card Holders
Afghanistan is one of the countries listed under Trump’s 2025 travel ban. If the government reexamines green card approvals, individuals may need to re-interview and may even have their green cards revoked.
The federal government can initiate a deportation case against green card holders if they are deportable under immigration law. However, only an immigration judge has the power to revoke a green card, and any person at risk has the constitutionally protected right to due process to challenge the revocation in immigration court.
Despite USCIS’ policy memo issued on Dec. 2, it remains unclear how this will be implemented, if they will allow individuals to get approval under certain exceptions, and how long these restrictions will be in place.
What This Means for Applicants From Travel Ban Countries
The processing and adjudication of all immigration benefits will be halted for applicants who are nationals of one of the countries listed under the 2025 travel ban. These benefits include applications for permanent resident status, petitions for family members, travel-related documents, humanitarian types of applications, and other immigration benefits.
The policy also calls for a “comprehensive re-review” of benefit requests already approved for nationals from these countries who entered the U.S. on or after Jan. 20, 2021.
Take Action
These restrictions don’t make our country safer; they tear families apart. We cannot allow an entire community to be scapegoated for political gain. Urge the Trump administration to lift this unjust ban on immigration and visa processing for Afghan nationals.
We’re Here For You
CAIR-CA advises community members impacted by this measure to:
- Consult an immigration attorney. CAIR-CA provides free immigration legal services. Click here to request assistance.
- Avoid international travel.
- Maintain documents securely. Keep physical and digital copies of passports, visas, green cards, employment authorization, and other important immigration related documents and notices handy and in a secure location.
Sources: Al Jazeera, CBS News, CNN, Department of State, National Immigration Law Center, NBC, Reuters, USCIS
