Will USCIS Deny Green Card Applications From Some Countries?

US immigration officers have begun denying and reopening green card cases for people from a group of 19 nations, after President Trump ordered tighter screening based on how well foreign governments control their identity documents. As of November 2025, USCIS is treating passport quality, civil records, and other document security concerns from these places as a “significant negative factor” when deciding who can become a permanent resident of the United States 🇺🇸.

Which countries are affected

The change applies to the following countries, now grouped by Washington as “countries of concern”:

• Afghanistan
• Burma (Myanmar)
• Chad
• Republic of the Congo
• Equatorial Guinea
• Eritrea
• Haiti
• Iran
• Libya
• Somalia
• Sudan
• Yemen
• Burundi
• Cuba
• Laos
• Sierra Leone
• Togo
• Turkmenistan
• Venezuela

According to internal guidance described by officials, officers must reexamine not only new filings but also many green cards already issued during the Biden presidency.

Scope of the review

USCIS Director Joe Edlow stated publicly:
“At the direction of @POTUS, I have directed a full scale, rigorous reexamination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern.”

This language signals that the agency is:

• Reviewing past approvals as well as pending cases.
• Focusing especially on people admitted between January 20, 2021, and February 20, 2025.
• Reopening cases granted during the Biden administration, including many refugees and those admitted under humanitarian parole.

Legal basis and operational effect

The legal basis is a June 2025 presidential proclamation and matching Department of Homeland Security orders. The proclamation authorizes full or partial suspension of entry for nationals from the 19 states when officials judge that their governments:

• Do not share enough data
• Do not reliably collect fingerprints and other biometrics
• Cannot issue secure identity documents

In practice, this means a person’s passport country can count against them even if they have lived in the United States for years and meet every other requirement.

How the policy is being applied

This policy goes beyond extra interview questions. Lawyers report cases are being:

• Paused for long periods
• Sent back for new checks
• In growing numbers, flatly denied

Applicants are receiving lengthy Requests for Evidence (RFEs) that focus less on applicants’ conduct and more on whether US officers can be certain of their identity given perceived weaknesses in their home governments’ systems. USCIS guidance says that where document security concerns exist, officers must ask for added proof such as:

• School records
• Work files
• DNA tests to confirm family ties

Impact on asylum cases

The new screening also reaches into the asylum system. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said: “The Trump Administration is also reviewing all asylum cases approved under the Biden Administration.”

This has caused fear among people who already won protection after fleeing war, repression, or state collapse in places like Somalia, Eritrea, and Venezuela. Some now face fresh interviews where the focus is not on their fear of harm back home, but on whether officials still trust the papers that helped prove their identity.

How applicants commonly reached the U.S.

Analysis by VisaVerge.com shows many affected applicants:

• Entered the country as refugees or were granted humanitarian parole
• Later applied for a green card through Form I-485

While the form and base rules remain unchanged on paper, officers’ weighing of country-specific factors has shifted. A family-based applicant from a designated country can have:

• A U.S. citizen spouse
• Steady work
• No criminal record

…and still be refused if USCIS doubts the reliability of their original birth certificate, passport, or marriage record.

Reports from lawyers and applicants

USCIS has not released public statistics, but immigration lawyers in several cities report:

• A sharp rise in delays and re-interviews since late 2025
• Refugees from early Biden years called back for what some describe as “full do-overs”
• Officers reportedly saying the government no longer trusts records issued by certain home countries

Internal guidance reportedly ranks nations based on how well they share data and guard against fraud, which drives these reexaminations.

Government rationale and critics’ response

The agency defends the policy as a security measure. Officials argue:

• In countries torn by war or governed by leaders who block cooperation, local passports and civil records may be unreliable.
• Strict checks are needed to prevent people with criminal or militant ties from exploiting weak systems.
• The June 2025 proclamation frames the move as addressing “deficiencies in identity management and information sharing” that could expose the U.S. to “terrorist or public safety threats.”

Critics counter that the change:

• Punishes entire nationalities for problems beyond individuals’ control
• Fails to account that most refugees did not choose where they were born and often fled because their state is abusive or failing
• Risks leaving people in legal limbo: unable to return home yet unable to establish permanent roots in the U.S.
• Creates fear for mixed-status families, where a spouse or child from an affected country could face deportation while other relatives remain secure

Advocates also question whether broad country-based rules improve safety, arguing that focus on passports and birth records may distract from targeted, case-by-case intelligence work. Some former officials privately warn that aggressive reviews of all green cards from entire regions could overwhelm already stretched USCIS staff, which is funded by filing fees and only recently recovered from COVID-19-era backlogs.

Practical consequences and current uncertainty

For now, thousands of people face uncertainty after years of vetting, refugee camp life, background checks, and earlier interviews. Many now confront:

• New rounds of questioning
• The real fear that a single officer’s view of a country’s paperwork could block their future

Lawyers are preparing legal challenges arguing the policy conflicts with long-standing U.S. asylum and refugee laws, but those cases may take years to reach higher courts.

Important: People from affected nations who are filing or planning to file green card applications are being advised to gather as much independent proof of identity as possible.

Evidence applicants should gather

USCIS applicants from any affected nation are being advised to compile independent proof beyond basic passports or civil records. Recommended items include:

• School histories and transcripts
• Medical records
• Old photographs that show identity and relationships
• Church, mosque, or community registers
• Sworn statements/affidavits from witnesses
• Employment or work records

Suggested steps for applicants (numbered)

1. Immediately collect and preserve all available documentary evidence of identity and family ties.
2. Obtain translations and certified copies where documents are not in English.
3. Gather trusted third-party corroboration (e.g., affidavits, community records).
4. Consult an immigration attorney promptly if you receive an RFE, interview notice, or reopening letter.
5. Monitor official USCIS guidance and updates closely.

Where to find official guidance

Official guidance for permanent residence applications remains available on the USCIS website at https://www.uscis.gov/green-card. However, the real test for many now lies in how officers apply the new country-based risk rules behind closed doors.