By Adekusibe Ademola
November 28, 2025
U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered a comprehensive review of all green cards issued to immigrants from 19 countries deemed “countries of concern,” citing national security risks and failures in prior vetting procedures.
Joseph Edlow, Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), confirmed on Thursday that the review will be “a full-scale, rigorous re-examination of every green card for every alien from every country of concern.” Edlow referred to a June White House proclamation listing Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, Iran, Somalia, Venezuela, Burma, Chad, the Republic of Congo, and Libya among the affected nations.
The directive comes a day after Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national admitted under a special post-withdrawal immigration program, allegedly shot and critically injured two National Guard troops in Washington, D.C. While USCIS did not explicitly link the shooting to the review, the incident has intensified administration concerns over the security risks posed by current immigration policies.
President Trump said the attack underscored “the greatest national security threat facing our nation,” adding that “the last administration let in 20 million unknown and unvetted foreigners from all over the world, from places you don’t even want to know about.” He described the green card review as necessary to protect the American people and ensure the integrity of the immigration system.
USCIS has also suspended processing of all new immigration applications from Afghan nationals pending a security and vetting review. The agency emphasized that protection of the country and its citizens remains its priority, and warned that foreign nationals from countries with weak passport systems, poor cooperation on information-sharing, or high visa overstay rates will face intensified scrutiny.
The administration’s crackdown also affects refugees admitted under previous policies, particularly those brought in under the Biden administration, signaling a broader shift in U.S. immigration enforcement focused on national security.
This review represents one of the most aggressive immigration enforcement measures in recent U.S. history, potentially affecting tens of thousands of green card holders across the listed countries.
