The U.S. government has issued a significant update to its immigration vetting practices — a change that could reshape how applicants from several countries are adjudicated.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced new guidance on November 27, 2025, allowing officers to treat an applicant’s country of origin as a significant negative factor in background checks. The announcement comes in the wake of a recent deadly shooting in Washington, D.C., allegedly carried out by a foreign national.
What’s Changing — and Who’s Affected
Under the updated rules, immigration officials can weigh “country-specific factors” when reviewing visa, asylum, green card, or refugee applications. These factors include a country’s ability to issue secure identity documents, record-keeping integrity, known corruption or conflict, and general public-safety profiles.
Although USCIS did not publicly release the full list, the affected countries match those named in Presidential Proclamation 10949 issued June 4, 2025 — a sweeping restriction on nationals from 19 countries deemed “of concern” for national security or public safety.
The countries include (but may not be limited to):
- Afghanistan
- Yemen
- Burma
- Burundi
- Chad
- Cuba
- DR Congo
- Laos
- Equatorial Guinea
- Sierra Leone
- Eritrea
- Togo
- Haiti
- Turkmenistan
- Iran
- Venezuela
- Libya
- Somalia
- Sudan
The policy takes effect immediately for all immigration applications filed or pending as of November 27, 2025.
Why It Matters — And What It Signals
The change marks a significant shift in how U.S. immigration authorities evaluate risk. Previously, vetting focused on individual behavior, criminal records, and specific red flags. The new guidance allows a broader, country-level assessment — meaning a person’s nationality alone may influence decisions, even in the absence of personal wrongdoing.
According to USCIS, the update is aimed at restoring stricter screening standards, citing the D.C. shooting by an Afghan national as evidence that the administration’s previous vetting reforms weakened public safety protections.
For immigrants, asylum-seekers, and refugees from the 19 listed countries — many already facing long delays, uncertainty, and hurdles — the new policy threatens to deepen delays and raise the bar for proving eligibility. Green card renewal, work authorization, or family-based applications may be subject to renewed scrutiny.
Critics argue the rule risks penalizing individuals simply because of their nationality. Civil-rights advocates warn that this approach may undermine fair treatment and due process — especially for lawful applicants who rely on U.S. immigration channels for safety or family reunification.
What’s Next — Uncertainties Ahead
- Increased processing time: With added layers of scrutiny, many cases could face longer waits or extra documentation requirements.
- Disparate impact: Applicants from the 19 countries — including students, asylum-seekers, and long-time residents — may bear disproportionate burdens even if they pose no threat.
- Legal and humanitarian concerns: Observers note potential risks to U.S. commitments on asylum, refugee resettlement, and family reunification.
- Policy rollback uncertain: The new guidance is tied to current administration priorities. Future shifts in government could re-examine or reverse the approach.
For now, the message from USCIS is clear: starting immediately, nationality matters.
For millions hoping to enter or remain in the United States, the road ahead just got steeper.
