US Temporarily Halts Immigration Applications for 19 Countries; Indian Applicants Unaffected

The United States government has temporarily halted immigration applications. This decision impacts nationals from 19 travel-ban countries. Green card and citizenship processing are currently frozen. However, India is not included in this recent ban. Therefore, Indian applicants continue under existing procedures.

This suspension specifically targets individuals from 19 designated nations. The affected countries include Iran, Sudan, Eritrea, and Haiti. Somalia and Venezuela are also among the nations impacted. Importantly, India does not appear on this particular list.

US Immigration Pause and Security Review

Officials confirmed the suspension targets certain countries. This follows a comprehensive security review. The review was initiated after a significant attack near the White House. This incident prompted tighter vetting rules.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal was linked to the shooting. He is a 29-year-old Afghan national. Lakanwal had received asylum in April this year. The administration hinted at more restrictions afterward.

US Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesperson Matthew Tragesser defended the approach. "The Trump administration is making every effort to ensure individuals becoming citizens are the best of the best. Citizenship is a privilege, not a right," NYT quoted Tragesser. "We will take no chances when the future of our nation is at stake."

The halt spans various immigration system stages. This covers green card and citizenship processes. Interviews and oath ceremonies are affected. The Trump administration implemented this pause. Many scheduled green card interviews were cancelled.

Naturalisation ceremonies also ceased for some applicants. This impacts those who entered the United States after January 20, 2021. It also includes people who had passed citizenship exams. Senior officials confirmed this development.

Impact on Immigration Applications

Lawyers across U.S. states reported issues. Clients from ban countries were turned away. This occurred during green card or adjustment-of-status interviews. No advance notice was provided to them.

Texas immigration lawyer Ana Maria Schwartz commented on this. "Everything is being put on hold," said Texas immigration lawyer Ana Maria Schwartz. "It is just like a traffic jam, and it is just going to get worse and worse and worse."

Naturalisation ceremonies were withdrawn suddenly. These involved long-time residents from affected nations. Tennessee immigration lawyer Elissa J Taub noted a specific case. An Iranian-born doctor's oath event was cancelled.

Taub stated this was not an isolated event. "We have been hearing through our network of immigration lawyers that this is not an isolated case. Folks from Venezuela and Iran are having their naturalization oath ceremonies canceled."

The administration reassesses previous asylum decisions. Pending asylum rulings have been frozen. Tens of thousands of asylum grants are under review. These were issued during the Biden administration.

USCIS emphasized the review's broad scope. Authorities aim to vet every applicant. “Nothing is off the table until every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible.”

Existing Backlogs and India's Position

Before these changes, significant backlogs existed. Over 1.5 million asylum applications awaited decisions. More than 50,000 asylum grants were made in recent years. The exact number of affected applicants remains unknown.

Lawyers suggest a high figure exists. It spreads across several immigration programs. This broad suspension deepens existing delays. The US immigration system already faces heavy backlogs.

Lawyer Schwartz warned about future strain. "This pause will put further strain on a system that has already been struggling," Schwartz said. Many applicants waited years for interviews. These are now disappearing from government schedules.

Indian nationals are not subject to this pause. This includes green card and H-1B applicants. American citizenship processing continues for them. India does not feature on the travel ban list.

Indian applicants may still face general delays. These delays stem from existing system backlogs. They are not specifically affected by this new policy. Lawyers confirm this status for India.

Homeland Security officials anticipate broader changes. This current halt forms part of a larger security overhaul. Authorities are checking green cards issued to citizens. These checks focus on the 19 countries.

Asylum decisions from past years face reassessment. Extra limits on travel are being considered. Status adjustments face further scrutiny. The freeze remains open-ended for now.