The United States government has temporarily suspended the processing of legal immigration applications filed by Nigerians and citizens of several other countries newly added to President Donald Trump’s expanded “travel ban,” according to a report by CBS News.
The development signals an escalation of the Trump administration’s ongoing crackdown on legal immigration and affects applicants from parts of Africa and Asia.
Many of those impacted are lawful immigrants already resident in the United States who are seeking to adjust their immigration status, obtain permanent residency, or become American citizens.
Read also: American man cries out as Trump’s travel ban bars Nigerian wife from coming over
Earlier in December, the administration directed the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to freeze all immigration petitions, including applications for naturalisation and green cards submitted by nationals of countries listed under the June travel ban or related restrictions.
The order followed the Thanksgiving week shooting of two National Guard soldiers in Washington, D.C., an attack allegedly carried out by an Afghan national.
In response, the administration announced a series of immigration measures, including the suspension of all asylum decisions handled by USCIS and a halt to the processing of immigration and visa requests submitted by Afghan nationals.
On Tuesday, Trump further expanded the scope of the travel ban, adding 20 new countries to the proclamation. Under the revised order, citizens of five countries face a full entry ban into the United States, while those from 15 other nations are subject to partial restrictions.
A US official, who spoke to CBS News on condition of anonymity because the changes have not been formally announced, said USCIS has now extended its suspension of immigration case processing to cover nationals of the newly listed countries.
The pause now affects citizens of Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Syria, which are subject to full travel bans.
Read also: US imposes travel ban on Nigerians over security, visa overstay concerns
It also applies to nationals of Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia and Zimbabwe, which face partial restrictions under the latest proclamation.
Previously, the suspension covered nationals of Afghanistan, Burundi, Chad, Cuba, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Laos, Myanmar, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Yemen and Venezuela.
In the most recent update, Laos and Sierra Leone were moved from partial restrictions to a full entry ban.
In a social media post late Thursday, Joseph Edlow, USCIS Director, confirm the scope of the suspension, saying the agency was reviewing immigration cases involving individuals identified under the president’s latest proclamation.
“USCIS is conducting a comprehensive review of anyone from anywhere who poses a threat to the US, including those identified in the President’s latest proclamation to restore law and order in our nation’s immigration system,” Edlow said.
Taken together, the expanded travel ban now affects nationals from more than 60 per cent of African countries and roughly one-fifth of countries worldwide.
The Trump administration has defended the policy as a national security measure, arguing that some of the affected countries lack adequate systems for vetting travellers and sharing security information.
Read also: U.S travel ban will not affect permanent residents, green card holders – Immigration expert
In Nigeria, the decision has sparked widespread criticism and anxiety, particularly as it coincides with the festive “Detty December” period, when travel between Nigeria and the United States typically peaks.
Many Nigerians have described the move as unfair and disproportionate, questioning the security and religious freedom concerns cited by Washington.
Some warned of diplomatic fallout and potential economic consequences, arguing that the policy could strain US–Nigeria relations and disrupt educational, business and family ties.
