U.S. Suspends Immigration, Asylum and Naturalisation Processing for 19 Countries

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has ordered an immediate suspension of all immigration, asylum, and naturalization processing for nationals of 19 countries, citing national security and public-safety concerns.

In a letter seen by Newsleverage, under the policy effective December 2, 2025, the freeze applies to asylum applications, green-card applications, visa issuances, and citizen-naturalization processes for persons from the affected nations.

The list of impacted countries includes: Afghanistan, Burma (Myanmar), Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

According to the guidance issued to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), officers must halt all final adjudications and naturalization ceremonies for applicants from those countries, and also re-review previously approved applications if required.

DHS said the freeze is part of a broader security review prompted by concerns over inadequate vetting and the risk posed by nationals from what the government labeled “countries of concern.”