The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is reportedly preparing to announce new regulations that could severely restrict the ability of foreign nationals from certain countries—already subject to President Trump’s expanded travel ban—to obtain Green Cards (Lawful Permanent Residency), asylum, and parole. This potential policy change represents a significant tightening of legal immigration channels, extending the scope of the administration’s restrictions beyond mere entry visas.
Internal documents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), cited by The New York Times, indicate that the new rules would leverage “country-specific factors” as a negative mark against an applicant. This measure targets countries that the administration believes do not share sufficient information for proper security checks, lack strong systems for issuing reliable identity documents, or have high visa overstay rates.
The New Criterion: “Country-Specific Factors”
Under the proposed rule, immigration officers would be fully empowered to weigh the lack of strong vetting or identity protocols in an applicant’s home country as a substantial, negative factor when adjudicating applications for permanent status.
Crucially, this change would not only impact individuals applying from abroad but also affect people who are already residing legally in the United States and seeking to adjust their status (i.e., apply for a Green Card from within the US). This makes the policy an escalation of the administration’s crackdown on legal immigration, challenging the settled expectations of long-term residents.
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19 Countries Facing Full or Partial Restrictions
The upcoming Green Card restrictions are directly tied to the expanded travel ban (Proclamation 14161) signed by President Trump in June 2025. This proclamation imposed full or partial entry restrictions on nationals from 19 countries, primarily across Africa and the Middle East, based on national security concerns, counterterrorism objectives, and low cooperation on deportation.
| Category | Countries Affected | Scope of Restriction |
| Full Suspension (12 Countries) | Afghanistan, Burma (Myanmar), Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. | Ban on all immigrant and non-immigrant visas (including tourist, student, and work visas). |
| Partial Suspension (7 Countries) | Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. | Ban on all immigrant visas (Green Cards) and certain non-immigrant visas (B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas for tourists, students, and exchange visitors). |
Who Will Be Affected by the New Green Card Rules?
The proposed rules are expected to affect:
- Immigrant Visa Applicants Abroad: Nationals of the 19 restricted countries seeking any immigrant visa (Green Card) through a US Embassy or Consulate.
- Applicants for Adjustment of Status: Individuals from the restricted countries already in the US on temporary visas (like H-1B or F-1) who are applying to become Lawful Permanent Residents (Green Card holders).
- Asylum and Parole Seekers: The policy may also be used to impose harsher standards on applications for asylum and humanitarian parole.
Categorical Exemptions Remain
While the new policy is expansive, the original Proclamation includes several categorical exceptions that are generally expected to remain in place:
- Lawful Permanent Residents(Green Card Holders) already possessing the status are explicitly excluded from the scope of the initial ban.
- Individuals already holding a valid US visa as of the proclamation’s effective date (June 9, 2025).
- Immediate Relative Immigrant Visas for spouses and minor children of US citizens, with clear evidence of identity.
- Recipients of Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs), particularly those from Afghanistan who assisted the US government.
- Athletes traveling for major sporting events like the 2026 World Cup or 2028 Olympics.
This new measure signals the administration’s focus on using security, identity, and foreign relations criteria to fundamentally reshape the legal immigration system.
