The United States has cancelled all the citizenship ceremonies after halting asylum applications from 19 countries.
According to CNBC, the Trump administration on Tuesday, December 2, announced that it is stopping all immigration applications filed by immigrants from 19 non-European countries over national security concerns.
The pause applied to the citizens of 19 countries, including Afghanistan and Somalia, that were already under partial travel restrictions.
Furthermore, as per The New York Post source, the Trump administration is planning to increase the number of countries banned from travelling to the United States to at least 30.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson stated, “We will be announcing the list soon.”
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem also hinted at a “full travel ban” on social media, revealing that during a meeting with Trump she proposed to increase the number of countries on the restricted list.
DHS chief said, “Our forefathers built this nation on blood, sweat, and the unyielding love of freedom, not for foreign invaders to slaughter our heroes, suck dry our hard-earned tax dollars, or snatch the benefits owed to AMERICANS. WE DON’T WANT THEM. NOT ONE.”
This came after Trump administration began a massive crackdown on immigration and asylum application after Thanksgiving eve attack on National Guards in Washington DC, near White House.
In the shooting attack allegedly by an Afghan immigrant named Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a National Guard member named Sarah Beckstrom was killed, while Andrew Wolfe was critically injured.
After the attack, the State Department also paused issuing visas to Afghan passport holders.
