Trump reveals all 19 countries now under ‘immigration freeze’ as White House prepare to expand travel ban

Donald Trump has announced that immigration applications from citizens of 19 countries will be paused, a move that could impact around 1.4 to 1.5 million people. The decision marks a significant escalation in his already strict immigration stance during his second term.

The freeze follows a deadly shooting in Washington, D.C., last week, where a National Guard member was killed and another critically injured near the Capitol. The suspect, 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, entered the US legally in 2021 during Joe Biden’s presidency.

Lakanwal has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and assault. After the attack, which some officials consider potentially terror-related, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) immediately suspended immigration requests from Afghanistan.

The policy has now broadened to include 18 additional nations due to national security and public safety concerns. CNN reports that the list covers countries such as Burma (Myanmar), Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has urged even harsher restrictions, suggesting that as many as 30 countries could ultimately face application freezes. She advocated for a broad travel ban targeting countries she accused of sending “killers” and “leeches.”

USCIS Director Joseph Edlow argued that strengthened vetting is essential, accusing the previous administration of weakening screening standards and allowing high-risk entries. He emphasized that country-specific risk factors will now heavily weigh against applicants.

The agency estimates that the expanded freeze may affect over 1.4 million people with pending asylum requests, according to Sky News.