The Trump administration has launched a major overhaul of its Green Card process, focusing on immigrants from 19 specific ‘countries of concern.’ This directive was issued following a security breach near the White House, where an Afghan national attacked National Guard members. USCIS Director Joseph Edlow announced the ‘rigorous reexamination’ of all Green Cards belonging to individuals from these nations, emphasizing national security as the driving force. The administration pointed to previous “reckless resettlement policies” as a reason for this stricter approach. The updated procedures will allow immigration officials to incorporate country-based risk factors into their decisions. The list of 19 countries includes, but is not limited to, Venezuela, Iran, and Libya. This policy is effective immediately and applies to all immigration applications submitted on or after November 27th. Indian citizens residing in the U.S. will not be impacted, as India is not included in the designated list.
