WANA (Dec 03) – The U.S. administration under President Donald Trump has announced a complete suspension of immigration applications, green card processing, and citizenship procedures for nationals of 19 non-European countries. The measure, described as necessary for “national and public security,” expands the restrictions first introduced in June and now enforces a broader halt on migration.

 

According to the newly issued government notice outlining the policy, the list includes countries such as Afghanistan, Somalia, Iran, Libya, Yemen, Sudan, Eritrea, Haiti, and several others. These states had already been subject to travel limitations and now face a total suspension of immigration-related processing.

 

The official document also references a recent shooting incident involving members of the National Guard in Washington, in which an Afghan man was arrested as a suspect. One guard member was killed and another seriously injured, an event cited as part of the administration’s security concerns.

 

At the same time, President Trump has intensified his remarks toward the Somali community in recent days, stating that “we don’t want them in our country.” These comments have drawn responses from local officials.

 

Jacob Frey, the mayor of Minneapolis—home to roughly 80,000 Somali Americans—described the community as an economic and cultural asset to the region. He warned that the new immigration actions could also affect individuals who are in the country legally and create unnecessary difficulties. Official records indicate that only 705 Somali nationals currently hold Temporary Protected Status in the United States.

 

In recent weeks, Trump has also declared that he intends to immediately revoke temporary protections for Somalis living in Minnesota, claiming without evidence that “Somali gangs” are causing fear in the state—an assertion local authorities have disputed.

 

Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has made immigration a central focus, deploying federal forces to major U.S. cities and increasing the return of asylum seekers at the U.S.–Mexico border.

 

The list of 19 countries now facing a full immigration halt includes:

Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

 

These nations had previously been subject to partial restrictions, but under the new decision, most immigration pathways to the United States have now been effectively suspended.

 

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Donald Trump. Social media/ WANA News Agency