The United States has paused citizenship ceremonies and stopped final immigration decisions for people from 19 countries already listed under its travel ban, according to an internal memo obtained by CBS News.
The directive, issued by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, ordered officers to “stop final adjudication on all cases” involving applicants from the affected nations. This includes pausing approval or denial of applications and stopping naturalisation ceremonies for migrants who were close to becoming US citizens.
The latest move comes as reports suggest President Donald Trump is considering expanding the June travel restrictions from 19 countries to 30. The order follows heightened scrutiny of immigration after last week’s shooting in Washington DC, where one National Guard member was killed and another critically injured. The suspect is an Afghan national living in the US.
The White House had earlier identified the 19 countries, mostly in Africa, the Middle East, and the Caribbean, as facing full or partial immigration restrictions.
USCIS also stopped asylum decisions last week and announced it would review previously issued green cards for migrants from the same countries.
The memo seen by CBS News stated: “This hold includes all form types and making any final decisions as well as completing any oath ceremonies.”
Matthew Tragesser, a USCIS spokesperson, confirmed the pause in a statement to the New York Times. He said, “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.”
Immigration lawyers told ABC News that some clients from Venezuela, Iran, and Afghanistan had their citizenship hearings cancelled this week.
The final oath ceremony is usually the last step in a long process that can span up to five years. It often includes applicants waving small US flags as they take their oath of allegiance.
Officials say the new restrictions follow rising concerns in the White House about what President Trump calls “social dysfunction” linked to migrants and refugees.
The administration intensified its stance on immigration after the deadly shooting involving guardsmen Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe. The arrested suspect had entered the US through a programme that offered protection to Afghans who assisted US forces before the Taliban returned to power.
