By HAN News Desk
WASHINGTON — The United States has announced a temporary suspension of immigration applications from 19 countries, including Somalia, following last week’s attack that killed two National Guard soldiers in Washington, DC.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) confirmed the move, saying asylum processing has also been halted. USCIS Director Joseph Edlow said the decision was driven by the need for “enhanced vetting” of foreign nationals submitting immigration requests.
The countries affected by the suspension include Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti, Sierra Leone, Togo, Equatorial Guinea, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, Burundi, Yemen, Iran, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Myanmar and Laos. Several of these nations were previously listed under former President Donald Trump’s travel restrictions during his first term.
The announcement comes as President Trump intensifies his hard-line rhetoric against immigrants, particularly targeting the Somali community in Minnesota. In recent weeks, Trump has repeatedly said he does not want migrants arriving from East Africa.
Immigration officials are also reportedly preparing enforcement operations aimed at locating undocumented individuals, with a focus on the Minneapolis–St. Paul metropolitan area. The reports have sparked widespread concern among Somali residents and other immigrant communities who fear arrests and deportations.
The suspension adds further pressure to communities already shaken by rising political hostility and the prospect of increased immigration raids.
