On Wednesday, November 26, 2025, two National Guard service members in Washington, D.C., were shot by an Afghan national, previously admitted to the United States under immigration status. In response to this high-profile incident, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced additional national-security screening measures for certain immigration applications. Without further delay, please continue reading to learn more about the new restrictions on foreign nationals and how an experienced family immigration lawyer in Milwaukee, WI, at Sesini Law Group, S.C., can help if you are affected negatively by these latest regulations.
What triggered the new restrictions on foreign nationals in 2025?
In the wake of this shooting, new guidance has given immigration officers greater discretion to treat country-specific characteristics as “significant negative factors” when vetting foreign nationals from 19 high-risk countries for visas, green cards, and/or asylum applications, according to USCIS Director Joseph Edlow. Specifically, such factors may include weak identity/documentation systems or insufficient vetting infrastructures, among other things.
This incident, in culmination with a proclamation made by President Donald J. Trump on June 4, 2025, is what essentially triggered this major immigration review. Of note, this proclamation cited national security and public safety concerns, including terrorism, visa overstays, lack of cooperation amongst some governments, etc. It added to the broader policy framework issued earlier in 2025 (i.e., Executive Order 14161) that called for enhanced vetting and screening standards for all foreign nationals seeking admission and immigration benefits.
Which countries are affected by the new entry and visa bans?
Per the June 2025 proclamation, the United States has imposed a full entry ban on foreign nationals of 12 countries. This means that they may not be permitted if they are outside the country and lack a valid visa. Specifically, these 12 countries are Afghanistan, Myanmar (Burma), Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
Also, seven countries have received a partial ban. So, foreign nationals in certain visa categories (i.e., visitor visas, student visas, and exchange-visitor visas) are restricted from entering the United States, with only a few rare exceptions for temporary entry. The affected seven countries are Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
All of this is to say that, amongst these 17 countries, many pending immigration cases have been paused for re-review, and new visa issuances have been suspended or restricted. But even more so, thanks to the most recent policy updates by the USCIS, there may be a re-examination of existing, previously-approved green cards. In other words, immigration officers may be granted broad discretion to deny or delay status for foreign nationals who already live in the U.S. legally.
In conclusion, we suggest you employ the services of a skilled family immigration lawyer in Milwaukee, WI, from Sesini Law Group, S.C., if you want the best possible chances at a positive immigration outcome. We look forward to serving you.