Trumps Official Portrait.webp
The Digest:

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services will reexamine all green cards issued to individuals from 19 countries classified as “of concern,” acting on a directive from President Donald Trump. The move follows a shooting incident in Washington, D.C., and signals a significant tightening of U.S. immigration vetting, casting a shadow of uncertainty over thousands of permanent residents.

Key Points:
  • President Trump ordered a review of green cards from 19 designated countries.
  • The policy was triggered by a DC shooting involving an Afghan asylum seeker.
  • The Department of Homeland Security will also review asylum cases approved under Biden.
  • USCIS cited a June presidential proclamation listing the following 19 countries: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
  • The suspect in the DC shooting had been vetted and granted asylum in April 2025.
  • The review affects both recent admissions and existing green card holders from these nations.
  • The move is part of a broader effort to reduce migration from “Third World Countries.”
As borders harden and policies shift, the promise of permanence for many now hangs in the balance, redefining the meaning of safe harbor.

Sources: CNN, Nigerian Tribune, Channels