The Trump administration has announced it will conduct a “full-scale, rigorous re-examination of every green card” issued to individuals from 19 countries deemed “countries of concern.”
The announcement was made by Joseph Edlow, the head of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), on Thursday, November 27, 2025, following a shooting incident in Washington, D.C., involving a suspect who was an Afghan national.
US tightens green card norms, country specific negative factors to be considered
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Countries Affected
According to reports citing a June White House proclamation on travel restrictions, the 19 countries subject to this review include:
- Afghanistan
- Burma
- Chad
- Republic of the Congo
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Haiti
- Iran
- Libya
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Yemen
- Burundi
- Cuba
- Laos
- Sierra Leone
- Togo
- Turkmenistan
- Venezuela
Rationale and Scope
USCIS Director Edlow stated the review was directed by President Trump, emphasizing that “the protection of this country and of the American people remains paramount.” He also attributed the move to the “prior administration’s reckless resettlement policies.”
The administration has indicated that factors such as security risks and high visa overstay rates contributed to a country being on the list.
The specific implementation details of how this re-examination will be carried out by agencies like USCIS and the Department of Homeland Security are still to be determined
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