Trump Plan Tightens Green Card Access for Ban-Country Immigrants

(UNITED STATES) The Trump plan to treat citizenship from certain countries as a “significant negative factor” in permanent residency cases is being prepared inside the Department of Homeland Security, according to internal documents described by officials familiar with the discussions. If adopted, the policy would stretch the June 2025 travel ban far beyond visa issuance abroad and into the core of how the United States 🇺🇸 decides who can stay in the country long term, placing new obstacles in front of thousands seeking green cards and eventual citizenship.

How the draft policy would work

Under the draft policy, officers reviewing applications for permanent residency would be told to give heavy weight to what the documents call “country‑specific factors.” Those factors are tied directly to the 19 countries already flagged under President Trump’s June 2025 travel ban, which blocks or limits many types of travel to the United States.

• People from the listed countries who are already living in the U.S., many with legal status, could suddenly find that the simple fact of their birthplace counts against them when they apply for green cards.
• The proposed change would apply to immigrants who arrived before the travel ban was announced and who entered legally — including students, workers, and family members sponsored by U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
• For these applicants, officers would be instructed to treat nationality as a built‑in negative, even if applicants have strong family ties, clean records, and long-standing community ties.

Countries affected

The draft would place applicants from all 19 flagged countries in a separate risk category:

• Full bans (12): Afghanistan, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen
• Partial limits (7): Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela

Rationale offered by the administration

Administration officials argue the same reasons given for the June 2025 travel ban support this new approach:

• 10 of the 19 countries allegedly do not share enough security or identity information with Washington.
• 15 have high rates of people overstaying visas.
• 8 allegedly refuse or resist taking back nationals after U.S. courts order deportation.

Supporters inside the government say those patterns indicate nationality can be a security warning sign and want officers to reflect that when deciding green card applications.

Criticisms and legal concerns

Critics contend the proposal crosses a long-standing line in U.S. immigration policy:

• Aaron Reichlin‑Melnick, senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, said the rule would make “national origin discrimination … official government policy.”
• Doug Rand, former senior USCIS official in the Biden administration, called it “a radical change,” adding that “having something that applies to you based on your country is absurd.”

Legal experts point to likely court challenges:

• The Immigration and Nationality Act forbids discrimination in issuance of immigrant visas on the basis of nationality, with some exceptions.
• That prohibition has been interpreted more narrowly for decisions made inside the U.S., but opponents argue using nationality as an automatic negative for green cards—especially for people already admitted—violates the spirit and practice of the law.
• Supporters might respond that officers retain discretion and nationality would be just one factor among many, albeit heavily weighted.

Key takeaway: If applied, the policy would be tested in federal courts soon after it appears, and attempts to apply it retroactively to pending cases would likely invite legal challenges.

Practical consequences for applicants and families

For applicants, the change could be decisive in borderline cases:

• A nurse from Eritrea, a Somali PhD student, or a Venezuelan engineer on a work visa could find their nationality counted as a built‑in negative despite otherwise strong cases.
• Lawyers say nationality as a heavy negative would be extremely hard to overcome and could push many otherwise qualified applicants to denial.

For families:

• A U.S. citizen petitioning for a partner from Iran or Haiti may still file the same forms and pay the same fees, but must now consider that the country of birth itself could count against the case.
• Community groups report growing fear and uncertainty; some are asking lawyers whether to rush filings before any rule is finalized.

Impact on employers and universities

Business and academic leaders are watching closely:

• Tech companies recruiting engineers from Iran or Myanmar, and research universities with students from Sudan or Somalia, fear retention difficulties.
• Many affected individuals already passed multiple security checks to receive work or study visas.
• Turning the travel ban into a long‑term barrier for green cards could push talent to Canada 🇨🇦 or Europe instead.

Practical and procedural questions

The draft raises many unanswered questions about implementation:

• How will the rule apply in mixed or complex cases (born in one country, raised in another, or dual nationality)?
• Would the standard apply only to future filings or also to pending cases?
• Could informal awareness of the draft influence officers before any formal policy is published, creating uncertainty in an already strained system?

Attorneys warn that even perceived uneven application could trigger discrimination claims.

Current official guidance and next steps

Official guidance on permanent residency remains posted on the USCIS website, including general information on eligibility and the green card process: USCIS – Green Card.

• Until a published rule or policy alert appears on USCIS or in the Federal Register, existing standards technically remain in place.
• The Trump administration had not released a formal rule or policy memo as of November 2025, and USCIS declined public comment. That leaves key implementation details unclear.
• If the draft is applied to existing or pending cases, legal analysts expect rapid litigation from applicants who filed under one set of rules and now face another.

Final note: With internal documents circulating and experts sounding alarms, many immigrants and their lawyers are bracing for a potential shift that would move the logic of the travel ban from border and consular policy into the heart of long‑term immigration decisions.