ISLAMABAD: The Trump administration has launched an unprecedented review ofthe immigration status of every permanent resident from Afghanistan and 18other countries designated as “of Identified Concern,” officials announcedon Thursday.
The decision comes one day after a 29-year-old Afghan national opened fireon National Guard troops in Washington, wounding several soldiers beforebeing detained.
US authorities confirmed the suspect had worked with American forces inAfghanistan and was granted asylum in the United States in April this year.
Joseph Edlow, acting director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services,declared that a “full-scale, rigorous reexamination” of every Green Cardissued to nationals from the listed countries would begin immediately.
A USCIS spokesperson told AFP the review covers the 19 countries named inPresident Trump’s June executive order on national security and immigrationvetting.
The order imposed a complete entry ban on nationals from twelve countries:Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea,Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
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Partial restrictions, mainly affecting immigrant visas, were placed onseven additional nations: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo,Turkmenistan and Venezuela.
Immigration advocates expressed alarm that thousands of long-term legalresidents, including many who assisted US forces abroad, could facedeportation proceedings.
The White House defended the measure as essential for public safety, citingthe Washington attack as evidence of continuing risks from inadequatelyvetted arrivals.
Source:www.afp.com/en/news/15/us-launch-review-all-green-cards-afghans-18-other-nations-doc-3p97r1″>https://www.afp.com/en/news/15/us-launch-review-all-green-cards-afghans-18-other-nations-doc-3p97r1