The U.S. government has temporarily suspended processing green card and citizenship applications submitted by Nigerians and nationals of other countries newly added to the U.S. travel ban.
The suspension affects legal immigration applications processed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), primarily for immigrants from some African and Asian countries.
Many of those affected were already legally resident in the United States and were seeking to adjust their immigration status or become U.S. citizens.
In early December, the Trump administration directed USCIS to freeze all immigration applications, including applications for permanent residence and citizenship, for citizens of the 19 countries subject to the June travel ban.
The decision comes in the wake of the shooting of two National Guard soldiers in Washington, D.C., during Thanksgiving week, which was allegedly carried out by Afghan nationals.
In response to the incident, the administration also suspended decisions on asylum cases handled by USCIS and stopped processing all Afghan immigration and visa applications.
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump expanded the travel ban to 20 more countries, completely banning entry from five countries and partially restricting travel from 15 others.
On Friday, a U.S. official who spoke to CBS News on condition of anonymity said USCIS has extended a moratorium on immigration cases involving nationals of the newly added countries.
The total travel ban applies to Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Syria.
Countries facing partial restrictions include Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Ivory Coast, Dominica, Gabon, Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
In June, President Trump signed an executive order imposing a complete travel ban on citizens of 12 countries. He also tightened restrictions on people from seven countries.
The White House justified adding Nigeria to the list by saying, “Islamic extremist terrorist organizations, such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State, operate freely in certain areas of Nigeria, making vetting and vetting significantly more difficult.”
“According to the Overstay Report, the overstay rate for Nigeria’s B-1/B-2 visas was 5.56 percent and the overstay rate for F, M, and J visas was 11.90 percent.”
A U.S. official told CBS News on condition of anonymity that the U.S. expanded the moratorium on immigration cases to include the new nationalities added in President Trump’s proclamation on Tuesday.
Many of those affected by the suspension are likely to be legal immigrants currently in the United States who are seeking to change their status or obtain citizenship.
In response to the development, U.S. Immigration Services Commissioner Joseph Edlow wrote on social media late Thursday: “U.S. Immigration Services is conducting comprehensive investigations into all individuals who pose a threat to the United States, including those identified in the President’s latest proclamation to restore law and order to our nation’s immigration system.”
Overall, President Trump’s expanded travel ban now affects citizens of more than 60% of African countries and about 20% of countries around the world.
