US immigration ban stops green card bids for Nigeria, others

A US government official has revealed that the Trump administration has directed the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to suspend green card and citizenship applications filed by Nigerians and nationals of other countries newly added to the expanded US “travel ban,” citing national security concerns and an ongoing review of immigration vetting processes, CBS News reported on Thursday.

This follows a proclamation signed by President Donald Trump on Tuesday, further restricting entry into the United States for nationals from countries deemed high-risk due to what it described as “demonstrated, persistent, and severe deficiencies in screening, vetting, and information-sharing” that threaten US national security and public safety.

Among the 15 additional countries newly subjected to partial restrictions is Nigeria.

Trump had earlier, on October 31, declared Nigeria a “country of particular concern” following allegations of a Christian genocide in the country.

Below is the full list of countries revealed to be affected by the suspension of green card and citizenship applications:

Countries affected

Full travel ban

• Burkina Faso

• Mali

• Niger

• South Sudan

• Syria

• Laos

• Sierra Leone

Partial travel restrictions

• Angola

• Antigua and Barbuda

• Benin

• Côte d’Ivoire

• Dominica

• Gabon

• Gambia

• Malawi

• Mauritania

• Nigeria

• Senegal

• Tanzania

• Tonga

• Zambia

• Zimbabwe

Previously affected countries

• Afghanistan

• Burundi

• Chad

• Cuba

• Republic of the Congo

• Equatorial Guinea

• Eritrea

• Haiti

• Iran

• Libya

• Myanmar

• Somalia

• Sudan

• Togo

• Turkmenistan

• Yemen

• Venezuela

The latest suspension expands earlier restrictions announced in June, under which nationals of several countries faced partial limits on immigration processing. In the most recent proclamation, Laos and Sierra Leone — which previously faced partial restrictions — were upgraded to a full entry ban, prompting USCIS to extend the freeze on immigration petitions, including green card and citizenship applications.

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