The Trump administration has announced a major tightening of its immigration policies, ordering a full reexamination of all green cards issued to nationals from 19 countries it labels as “countries of concern.” The move marks one of the strongest immigration actions taken since the administration returned to office, and it has already sparked widespread debate across the United States and abroad.
The directive comes in the wake of the recent shooting of two National Guard members in Washington. The suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national, was quickly identified, prompting renewed scrutiny of Americas vetting and immigration processes. Within hours, President Donald Trump instructed the Department of Homeland Security, DHS, and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, USCIS, to carry out an extensive review.
Joe Edlow, the director of USCIS, confirmed the development in a post shared on X.
“At the direction of POTUS,” he wrote, “I have directed a full scale and rigorous reexamination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern.”
Nigeria Not Included in the Review
Despite recently being listed by the Trump administration as a Country of Particular Concern, Nigeria is not part of the 19 nations targeted in this new policy. This exemption immediately caught public attention, especially given the country’s recent friction with U.S. immigration authorities.
The list of affected countries includes
Afghanistan, Burma, 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 were originally identified in a June presidential proclamation and the administration argues that individuals from these countries require deeper screening because of security and documentation concerns.
What the Review Will Examine
A follow up statement from USCIS explained that the new vetting process will look at “negative, country specific factors,” a phrase that immediately raised questions about how the review will be implemented.
According to the agency, authorities will assess
The country’s ability to issue secure and verifiable identity documents
The reliability of background information available from each region
Any ongoing security or terrorism related risks linked to nationals from the listed countries
This means many legal permanent residents, some of whom have lived in the U.S. for years, may now face renewed scrutiny.
Broader Immigration Crackdown Underway
The green card review is only part of a larger immigration push by the Trump administration. DHS also announced a new review of all asylum cases approved under the Biden administration, signaling a sweeping overhaul that could affect thousands of immigrants who believed their cases were resolved.
Critics argue that the move could create fear and uncertainty among lawful residents and may invite legal challenges. Supporters say the administration is prioritizing national security and ensuring that immigration pathways are not exploited.
Rising Political Tension
The timing of the directive, coming just days after the Washington shooting, has fueled political tension. Some view the move as a reaction to public pressure following the attack, while others see it as part of Trumps long standing promise to take a strict stance on immigration.
And while Nigeria escaped this particular list, observers say the decision signals that the U.S. may still tighten immigration measures for several countries going forward.
