Donald Trump, President of the United States has announced a review of all green cards issued to immigrants from 19 countries it considers “countries of concern,” citing national security risks and failures in past vetting procedures.
Joseph Edlow, Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), said Trump has ordered “a full-scale, rigorous re-examination of every green card for every alien from every country of concern.”
When contacted for clarification, USCIS referred the BBC to a White House proclamation issued in June, which lists Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, Iran, Somalia and Venezuela among the affected countries.
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The directive comes a day after Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national, allegedly shot and critically injured two National Guard troops in Washington, D.C.
According to BBC report, Lakanwal entered the United States in 2021 under a special immigration program created after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan to protect at-risk Afghans.
The report noted that Edlow’s announcement on Thursday did not explicitly reference the shooting, the incident has intensified the administration’s focus on immigration vetting.
Trump described the attack as evidence of a looming national security threat.
“This attack underscores the greatest national security threat facing our nation.
“The last administration let in 20 million unknown and unvetted foreigners from all over the world, from places that you don’t even want to know about. No country can tolerate such a risk to our very survival”, Trump said.
“USCIS did not release further details on how the green card re-examination will be conducted or how soon it will begin. However, the June proclamation cited by the agency outlines strict restrictions on foreign nationals entering the country, warning of “foreign terrorists and other national security and public safety threats.”
“The proclamation said countries may be placed on the list due to security concerns, including weak passport systems, poor cooperation on information-sharing, or high overstay rates among business, student, and tourist visa holders.
“Countries whose green card holders will undergo the renewed scrutiny include Burma, Chad, the Republic of Congo and Libya”, the report said.
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The report also recalled the last week, USCIS announced a review of all refugees admitted under former President Joe Biden’s administration.
“And on Wednesday, the agency suspended the processing of all immigration applications from Afghan nationals, pending a review of “security and vetting protocols”, it added
Edlow emphasised that “the protection of this country and of the American people remains paramount, and the American people will not bear the cost of the prior administration’s reckless resettlement policies.”
