U.S. halts all immigration cases — including citizenship ceremonies — for nationals of 19 countries, internal guidance says

US Government Halts Immigration Cases for Nationals of 19 Countries, Including Citizenship Ceremonies

In a move aimed at tightening security following last week's shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., the US government has halted all immigration cases filed by nationals of 19 countries. The suspension includes citizenship ceremonies for individuals from these countries who were on the cusp of becoming naturalized American citizens.

According to internal guidance obtained by CBS News, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) directed employees on Monday to stop final adjudication on all cases involving individuals from the 19 nations facing restrictions under a proclamation issued by President Trump in June. This near-total travel ban imposes significant restrictions on entry for people from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.

The new guidance indicates that the immigration crackdown is broader in scope than previously reported, with no exceptions made for asylum seekers or individuals who have already been granted asylum. The suspension applies to all USCIS cases, including citizenship requests, regardless of when they were filed.

The Trump administration has announced a series of immigration restrictions since the attack, but this move marks a significant escalation. Immigration lawyers have reported that some of their clients' cases have been halted or canceled due to the suspension.

In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security said it was taking no chances with national security and would review all immigration benefits granted by the Biden administration to aliens from countries considered "countries of concern." The agency added that everyone subject to the restrictions would be subject to a thorough re-review process, including potential interviews and re-interviews.

The policy pause will only be lifted when the USCIS director issues another memo. Immigration lawyers have expressed concerns about the unprecedented nature of this move, with one former top USCIS official calling it "unprecedented." The impact on immigration cases and individuals affected by the restrictions remains to be seen.

man, what's up with this new move from the US gov? they're basically putting a pause on all immigration cases for these 19 countries... like, is this really about national security or is it just an excuse to keep people out who are trying to escape some kinda crazy situation in their home country?

and what's up with the citizenship ceremonies being halted too? does that mean ppl from these countries will never be able to become american citizens? it's like they're taking away a part of someone's identity and freedom just 'cause of where they're from.

i feel like this whole thing is about fear and control, you know? the gov's trying to dictate who can come in and out, but what if those ppl are just trying to find a better life for themselves? shouldn't we be trying to help them instead of holding 'em back?

Ugh, this is like something straight outta a bad 80s action flick... Can you believe they're suspending immigration cases for entire countries? I mean, I get it, national security and all that jazz... but come on! This feels like a total overreaction. I'm worried about those folks who were just waiting to become citizens... what are they gonna do now?

And don't even get me started on the fact that asylum seekers aren't exempt... that's just crazy talk! I mean, what's next? Suspending all education grants for international students? It's like they're trying to make a really bad movie about xenophobia and we're just along for the ride...

I guess it's not surprising, though. I mean, this is America, after all... land of the free and all that... but sometimes I feel like we're more like the "land of the suspicious".

I'm getting worried about all these new security measures . I remember when I was a kid, we used to travel to so many countries without any hassle. Now, it's like they're treating everyone as potential threats . And for what? A little shooting incident in Washington D.C.? It just doesn't feel right to me. And what about all the people who have already filed their immigration cases and are waiting for their citizenship ceremonies? Do they get to just forget about them now? The Trump admin has been doing this kind of thing for years, but it's still unsettling to see a new president making more of these drastic moves . I hope someone looks into this soon and makes some changes, you know?

I'm low-key terrified that the US is just setting up a whole new level of bureaucratic red tape to control who can even step foot in their country... like, what's next? Are they gonna start fingerprinting everyone who walks into Starbucks? This feels like a slippery slope and I don't see how it's not gonna lead to more people feeling like they're being unfairly targeted. And don't even get me started on the whole "no exceptions for asylum seekers" thing... that just reeks of politics to me

I'm kinda worried about this new development . On one hand, I get why they're taking extra precautions after that shooting in D.C. But suspending all cases for people from 19 countries? That's a pretty big deal... like, how is that even fair to the folks who've already been through the application process? And what about those asylum seekers who are just trying to escape their home countries? Doesn't seem right that they'd be affected too . I hope it doesn't lead to a whole bunch of backlogs and delays for good people who just want to live here in the States .

This new development in US immigration policy is super concerning . I mean, 19 countries are now subject to these restrictions and that's a huge scope . I'm not sure if it's a good idea to halt all citizenship ceremonies for people who were on the cusp of becoming American citizens - that's some serious life disruption stuff . And what about asylum seekers? Are they exempt from this? It seems like an overreaction, you know? I hope these restrictions don't lead to more problems down the line...

I'm getting worried about my kid's friend from Haiti who was supposed to take their oath as a US citizen last week They're going to have to reschedule, and I hope it doesn't cause any delay in their life here. This new policy feels like an overreaction to me. How can suspending all cases for people from these countries be fair? My friend's mom is actually a doctor, she came to the US with her degree, but now... I don't know what will happen next

man... i'm all for keeping our country safe but 19 countries? that's like, super broad it feels like they're trying to lock down everything and what about the ppl who are already in the us? shouldn't they have a say too? i get it, national security is important but can't we find a better way to balance it out? maybe this is just another example of how politics gets in the way of common sense

omg I'm so worried about all these people who were on the verge of becoming US citizens... I mean, i get that security is a big deal, but does it have to affect innocent ppl like them?

so here's my attempt at illustrating what this means:
```
+---------------+
| US Citizens |
| are allowed |
+---------------+
|
| NO
v
+---------------+---------------+
| Nationals | of these |
| from 19 | countries |
+---------------+---------------+
|
| CANNOT be
| processed here
v
```
i think this is super unfair... what's next?

I'm thinking about how this is gonna affect my cousins who are studying abroad in one of those countries . They've been working really hard for their citizenship ceremony, but now they're stuck in limbo. I feel bad for them because all they wanna do is start a new life here and contribute to society. The security thing just doesn't make sense to me... I mean, how can an attack on the National Guard members be connected to immigrants from these countries? It's like, we're talking about people who have been living in this country for years, paying taxes, and trying to build a better life. This whole thing is just so unfair .

Ugh my mind is racing thinking about all these families who are already in limbo... I feel so bad for them, they've been going through this process, filling out forms, taking tests, and now it's all being put on hold . How stressful must that be? And what if they were so close to becoming US citizens?! The thought of those citizenship ceremonies getting cancelled is heartbreaking I'm just worried about the wait times for these families to get their cases re-reviewed... will it take months or even years? It's just so frustrating, can't we all just live in harmony and respect each other's differences?!

I'm really worried about what's happening here . It seems like a massive overreaction from the US government, especially considering they're not even telling everyone which 19 countries are being targeted . I mean, what's the real reason behind this huge suspension of immigration cases? Is it just about "national security" or is there something more sinister going on?

We know that President Trump issued a proclamation in June, but why the sudden escalation now? And what about all those asylum seekers who are already waiting to be processed? Are they going to get left hanging while their cases are put on hold indefinitely? It's just not right.

I'm also thinking about how this is going to affect people's lives. Imagine being on the cusp of becoming a US citizen and then having your entire application suddenly halted because of some new policy . That must be incredibly frustrating and stressful for those individuals.

The fact that the Department of Homeland Security is saying they're "taking no chances" with national security just feels like a big ol' blanket statement to me . Where's the transparency? Where's the accountability? We need answers here, not more vague statements about review processes and interviews .

Its like they're taking a super cautious approach ... all these countries got some kinda history or stuff going on that makes them a security risk for US, so they wanna make sure to review everyone's background before granting citizenship... but at what cost? This is gonna affect a lot of ppl who've already invested time and money into the process . I'm not sure if this is even constitutional though ... has anyone checked if they're violating the 5th amendment rights or something?

I'm getting a bit worried about this new development . It seems like the US government is taking a very strict stance on national security, but at what cost? I've lived in the States for many years now, and I've always appreciated the opportunity to welcome people from all over the world with open arms . This latest move feels like a step back for our country's values of diversity and inclusivity .

I'm not sure if this is just a temporary measure or something more permanent. As someone who's aged out of their working years, I've seen my fair share of changes in immigration laws over the years . But one thing that's always remained constant is the need for compassion and understanding when it comes to people seeking a better life .

I'm curious to see how this will all play out, but I do hope that some sense will prevail soon . In the meantime, I'll be keeping a close eye on developments and hoping that our leaders will find a way to balance security with compassion .

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this new development . I mean, I get it, security is a big deal, but halting all immigration cases for 19 countries? That's like, super broad . What about people who are already in the system and just want to come through with their paperwork? It feels like a huge step back for the country, you know?

And I'm curious, what exactly does "no exceptions made for asylum seekers" even mean? Are they going to be left out of this mess entirely? I hope not, because that would just add another layer of complexity to an already complicated situation.

I've been following this story a bit, and it seems like the Trump admin is trying to flex its muscles before Biden's term is over . But honestly, who benefits from this kind of policy? Not me, that's for sure .

just heard about this massive hold on immigrants from 19 countries... feels like something straight outta a movie - so many lives paused, families torn apart. what's the point of tightening security if it comes at the cost of innocent people? don't get me wrong, safety matters, but we gotta balance that with humanity too . this is just another example of how complicated things can get in the world... always a reason to question our leaders' decisions

omg i'm getting so worried about all these ppl who were just about to become americans like what's gonna happen now? are they gonna get deported or something?! i feel for those people who have already applied for citizenship and now their dreams are being put on hold

idk why they're doing this . i mean, they gotta take security seriously but at what cost? it's like, what if someone from one of these countries is a US citizen already? shouldn't that count for something? also, i'm all for keeping the country safe but isn't this gonna send the wrong message to ppl from other countries who wanna come here for the right reasons? like, what's the diff between someone who's trying to become a citizen and someone who's just tryin' to get in with no intentions? it just feels like they're generalizing everyone from these countries... and i'm not even sure if that's really necessary .

omg what's going on with the US government they're just suspending all immigration cases from 19 countries like that?! i'm all about national security and safety but this feels like a major step back for america i mean what even is the point of having immigrants if you're not gonna let them in? also why no exceptions for asylum seekers?? that's just cruel my cousin is from somalia and they've been living here legally for years now this is just going to affect so many people it's like they're trying to undo all the progress we made on diversity and inclusion i guess only time will tell if the government makes any changes or if they just keep doing this