The government of U.S. President Donald J. Trump has announced a wide-ranging review of all Green Cards held by citizens of 19 countries, after a deadly shooting targeting members of the U.S. National Guard in Washington, DC.
What triggered this move
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On November 26, 2025, two National Guard members were shot near the White House by a suspect identified as an Afghan national.
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In response, the U.S. administration cited the incident as evidence of “lax vetting” and possible national-security risks tied to immigration from certain countries.
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The 19 countries under scrutiny are those previously listed under a “countries of concern” order earlier this year. The list includes Afghanistan, Iran, Somalia, Libya, Yemen, Cuba, Venezuela, and several African and Asian nations.
What the review means
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The U.S. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has been instructed to conduct a “full scale, rigorous re-examination” of every Green Card held by immigrants from those 19 countries.
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This includes reassessing their immigration history, background checks, and any potential security risks associated with their origin countries.
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The move also accompanies a wider halt on new immigration applications from the most-affected countries especially Afghanistan until further notice.
What it means for immigrants and global migration
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Immigrants from the listed 19 countries even those who already hold Green Cards, may see their residency status re-evaluated. This has created uncertainty among many communities, especially refugees and asylum-seekers resettled in recent years.
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The decision reflects a broader tightening of U.S. immigration policy under the current administration, targeting what it calls “security threats” and “high-risk” nations.
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Human-rights advocates and immigrant-support groups warn that blanket reviews based on nationality could unfairly target innocent people and widen distrust among immigrant communities.
What we know and what remains unclear
Known:
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The order affects immigrants from 19 specified countries.
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The review was ordered shortly after the DC shooting incident.
Unclear:
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Exactly how immigration status of current Green Card holders will be affected. Will all be checked, or only a subset?
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What criteria will be used to decide if a Green Card should be revoked.
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The impact on families, refugees, and long-term residents.
This development marks one of the most aggressive immigration crackdowns in recent years in the U.S., signaling stricter scrutiny for immigrants from many countries at once. The global community, immigrant rights groups and government agencies will be watching closely to see how this policy unfolds.