The United States government has temporarily suspended the processing of legal immigration applications submitted by Nigerians and nationals of several other countries recently added to a US travel restriction list, according to a report by CBS News.
The suspension affects applications for permanent residency, citizenship, and other immigration benefits filed by individuals from the affected countries, including those already residing legally in the United States and seeking a change of status.
The move represents a further tightening of immigration controls under policies expanded by the Trump administration earlier this month. In early December, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) was instructed to freeze all immigration petitions from nationals of 19 countries previously covered by the administration’s travel ban announced in June.
The directive followed a Thanksgiving week shooting in Washington, DC, in which two National Guard soldiers were killed. Authorities alleged that the attack was carried out by an Afghan national, prompting a broader review of immigration and asylum procedures.
In addition to halting immigration petitions, the administration also suspended decisions on asylum cases handled by USCIS and paused the processing of immigration and visa requests submitted by Afghan nationals.
Earlier this week, President Donald Trump expanded the travel ban to include 20 additional countries. Under the updated proclamation, five new countries face a full ban on entry into the United States, while citizens of 15 others are subject to partial restrictions.
A US official, speaking to CBS News on condition of anonymity, confirmed that USCIS has now extended the suspension of immigration case processing to nationals of the newly added countries.
The countries facing a full travel ban under the latest expansion include Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Syria. Those affected by partial restrictions include Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Previously affected countries include Afghanistan, Burundi, Chad, Cuba, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Laos, Myanmar, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Yemen and Venezuela. In the latest update, Laos and Sierra Leone were moved from partial restrictions to a full entry ban.
In a social media post on Thursday, USCIS Director Joseph Edlow appeared to acknowledge the expansion, stating that the agency was conducting a comprehensive review of individuals deemed to pose potential security risks under the President’s latest immigration proclamation.
With the latest additions, the travel restrictions now affect nationals from more than 60 per cent of African countries and roughly one-fifth of all countries worldwide.
The Trump administration has defended the measures as necessary for national security, citing concerns over vetting processes in the affected nations. However, the decision has sparked strong reactions in Nigeria, where critics have described the policy as unfair and disproportionate.
Some commentators warned of diplomatic strain and possible economic consequences, while questioning the security justification offered by US officials. Former senator Shehu Sani described the policy as a signal that migrants from developing countries are increasingly unwelcome.
