The United States government has announced a temporary suspension of visa applications from 19 countries, including Somalia, following last week’s deadly attack that killed two National Guard members in Washington, D.C.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) also halted asylum procedures. USCIS Director Joseph Edlow explained that the suspension aims to allow stricter vetting of foreign nationals applying for visas.
The affected countries are Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti, Sierra Leone, Togo, Equatorial Guinea, Chad, Republic of Congo, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, Burundi, Yemen, Iran, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Laos. Some of these countries were already on travel restriction lists implemented during former President Donald Trump’s administration.
The move comes amid heightened anti-immigrant rhetoric from former President Trump, who recently reiterated his opposition to Somali immigrants living in Minnesota.
U.S. immigration officials are reportedly planning operations targeting undocumented residents, particularly in Minneapolis and St. Paul, raising concern among immigrant communities in these cities.
The temporary suspension is described as a precautionary measure while the government reviews security and immigration protocols, but it has generated widespread concern among citizens, migrants, and advocacy groups about its impact on asylum-seekers and legal visa applicants.