U.S. halts citizenship and residency applications for Cuba, Haiti, Venezuela, and 16 others

Washington.- The United States has suspended the processing of residency permits and citizenship applications for migrants from 19 countries—including Cuba, Haiti, and Venezuela—in a move that further escalates President Donald Trump’s hardline immigration agenda. The administration has particularly targeted these three Latin American nations, with Venezuela facing increased pressure following a recent and unprecedented U.S. military deployment in the Caribbean. While Washington claims the operation aims to combat drug trafficking, Caracas argues the real objective is to overthrow President Nicolás Maduro.

Cuba remains under a decades-long U.S. embargo, and Haiti continues to face severe humanitarian challenges driven by gang violence, making the suspension especially impactful for their citizens. According to an official memo obtained by AFP, the Trump administration halted the processing of green cards and naturalization applications for individuals from countries already subject to expanded travel restrictions in June.

The list includes Afghanistan, Burma, Burundi, Chad, Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, Iran, Laos, Libya, the Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Yemen, in addition to Cuba, Haiti, and Venezuela.

Senior U.S. officials recently defended the administration’s immigration policies following the fatal shooting of two National Guard members near the White House. The suspect, an Afghan national who arrived during the 2021 mass evacuations, has pleaded not guilty.

The memo underscores that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) plays a critical role in preventing terrorists from entering the country and must prioritize national security in its screening and adjudication processes. It warns that inadequate vetting could endanger Americans, citing last week’s attack as an example.

President Trump, who has made mass deportations a central promise of his campaign, declared on November 26 that he intends to “permanently pause immigration from all Third World countries” to allow the U.S. system to “recover.” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also called for expanding the list of restricted countries, using inflammatory language on social media to justify stricter bans.