Washington, December 3, 2025 — The United States government has temporarily suspended all visa applications from 19 countries, according to a statement released Wednesday.
The move comes a week after an attack in Washington that killed two National Guard soldiers.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) had already halted all asylum procedures last Friday. Agency director Joseph Edlow cited the need for more stringent vetting of foreign nationals as the reason for the suspension.
Several of the countries affected were previously included in travel restrictions implemented under former President Donald Trump. The list of affected nations includes Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti, Sierra Leone, Togo, Equatorial Guinea, Chad, Republic of Congo, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, Burundi, Yemen, Iran, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Laos.
The suspension coincides with renewed anti-Somali rhetoric from President Trump, who criticized Somali immigrants in Minnesota, claiming they add nothing to the country.
Concerns have been raised that enforcement operations targeting undocumented immigrants could begin in Minneapolis and St. Paul, raising fears of potential raids against those without legal status.
