The Trump administration announced on Tuesday the suspension of all immigration applications filed by citizens from 19 countries on the travel ban list, halting the processing of green cards and U.S. citizenship for broad segments of the population. The measure affects nations such as Iran, Sudan, Eritrea, Haiti, Somalia, and others considered to have high political and economic instability. The pause, confirmed by Matthew Tragesser, a spokesperson for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), aims to ensure that "those who become citizens are the best among the best." "Citizenship is a privilege, not a right," he stated to various U.S. media outlets. The decision includes processes for permanent residency, naturalization, and other immigration procedures overseen by the agency. Immigration lawyers reported the cancellation of interviews and naturalization ceremonies, causing confusion among applicants. Some immigrants, who had waited for months or years, learned about the suspension by showing up at local USCIS offices without receiving any explanation or instructions on how to proceed. The measure comes in the context of increasing migratory repression and recent national security incidents, including the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, attributed to an Afghan citizen with asylum. The new rules announced last week could already affect more than 1.5 million people with pending asylum applications and over 50,000 who were granted asylum during the former President Joe Biden's administration.
