The United States has suspended naturalization ceremonies and halted the final processing of immigration applications for migrants from 19 countries currently under a federal travel ban. The move is outlined in an internal government memo reviewed by CBS News, a partner of the BBC.
According to the directive, immigration officials have been instructed to immediately stop final adjudications on all affected cases. This includes pausing citizenship oath ceremonies for individuals who were just days or weeks away from becoming U.S. citizens.
The decision comes as President Donald Trump is reportedly considering expanding the existing travel ban, issued in June, to cover as many as 30 countries. The original list largely includes nations in Africa, the Middle East, and the Caribbean.
The latest measures follow last week’s deadly shooting in Washington, D.C., which killed National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and left another guardsman, Andrew Wolfe, 24, critically wounded. Authorities say the suspect, who has been arrested, is an Afghan national living in the United States under a special program designed to protect Afghans who previously assisted U.S. forces before the Taliban returned to power.
The guidance was issued Tuesday by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, or USCIS. The agency has already taken additional steps in recent days, including suspending all asylum decisions and launching reviews of green card approvals issued to migrants from travel-ban countries.
The memo describes the policy as comprehensive, stating that the hold applies to all immigration form types and prohibits approvals, denials, and the completion of citizenship oath ceremonies.
USCIS spokesperson Matthew Tragesser confirmed the pause to the New York Times, saying the administration is focused on tightening standards. He emphasized that citizenship, in the administration’s view, is “a privilege, not a right.”
Immigration attorneys report that the impact is already being felt. According to ABC News, citizenship hearings have been canceled this week for migrants from countries including Venezuela, Iran, and Afghanistan.
For many applicants, the naturalization ceremony represents the final step in a process that can take up to five years. These ceremonies are typically celebratory events, marked by families, American flags, and the oath of allegiance to the United States.
The White House’s latest action comes amid increasingly sharp rhetoric from President Trump, who has repeatedly blamed migrants and refugees for what he describes as America’s growing social and security challenges.
As the administration continues to tighten immigration controls, advocates warn the measures could leave thousands of long-term residents in legal limbo.
This is a developing story, and SNEWS TV will continue to monitor it closely.
Reporting by Kathy Moore.
