The move stems from a directive to conduct a “full-scale, rigorous re-examination” of all green cards issued to immigrants from countries deemed security risks.

Officials cited national-security concerns, high visa-overstay rates and limited document-verification capacity in several governments as grounds for the review.

Orders For A Nationwide Review

The head of the immigration service said the president instructed a reassessment of every green card issued to nationals from 19 “countries of concern.”

An earlier proclamation listed Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, Iran, Somalia and Venezuela among the affected states, while others included Burma, Chad, the Republic of Congo and Libya. Authorities offered no timeline or technical detail on how the review will be carried out.

Washington Shooting Heightens Pressure

The announcement came after an Afghan national allegedly shot two National Guard members in Washington on Wednesday, leaving both in critical condition.

The suspect arrived in the U.S. in 2021 under a protection program created after the American withdrawal from Afghanistan. Officials said the incident underscored a broader national-security threat tied to prior resettlement policies.

Security And Vetting Concerns

The proclamation referenced by the agency argued that Afghanistan lacked “competent or cooperative” authorities to issue passports or civil documents and did not have adequate screening measures.

It also cited the overstay rate for business, student and tourist visas as part of the risk criteria. The document named the Taliban as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) group controlling Afghan territory.

Wider Immigration Actions

Alongside the green-card review, authorities suspended all immigration processing for Afghans pending reassessment of security protocols. Officials last week also initiated a review of all refugees admitted under the previous administration.

The president said “20 million unknown and unvetted foreigners” entered the U.S. under earlier policies, calling the trend a threat to the country’s survival.