US freezes immigration process: Is Pakistan amongst the 19 nations?

WEB DESK: In a significant policy shift, the U.S. government announced a full pause on all immigration applications from citizens of 19 non-European countries. The halt, effective immediately, suspends the processing of green cards, citizenship applications, and other petitions, intensifying existing travel restrictions first imposed in June. Pakistan, however has not made the cut and is not amongst the 19 countries being affected by this major step.

The list of countries targeted in Wednesday’s memorandum includes Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, which were consequently subjected to the most severe immigration restrictions in June, including a full suspension on entries with a few exceptions. Others on the list of 19 countries, which were subjected to partial restrictions in June, are Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.

An official memorandum justifying the action cited national security concerns, specifically referencing last week’s fatal attack on National Guard members in Washington, D.C., for which an Afghan national has been detained.

President Donald Trump, who has recently escalated rhetoric against migrants, underscored the administration’s focus. Since returning to office in January, his policies have heavily emphasised border enforcement and deportations. This new directive marks a pronounced expansion of that agenda into the realm of legal immigration.

The policy mandates a comprehensive re-review for all pending cases from the listed countries. Applicants must now undergo fresh screenings, including potential interviews, to evaluate perceived security threats. Immigration advocates have already reported cancellations of oath ceremonies and interviews for affected individuals, signaling immediate, wide-ranging repercussions.

This freeze represents one of the most sweeping immigration actions of the current administration, reframing border security to encompass a broad suspension of legal pathways for citizens from nearly twenty targeted states.