U.S News- The U.S. administration is preparing a new immigration policy under which President Donald Trump could significantly restrict Green Cards and other immigration benefits for citizens of countries included in his travel ban.
In June, President Trump had imposed a travel ban on 12 countries from Africa and the Middle East. Citizens from these countries are barred from traveling to the U.S.: Afghanistan, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. The new policy could make it even more difficult for people from these nations to go to the United States.
Green Cards to Become Harder to Obtain
According to this report, if citizens of these countries are already living in the U.S.—even if they arrived before their homeland was added to the travel ban list—it will now become more difficult for them to obtain a Green Card or other immigration approvals, as reported by The New York Times, citing draft documents.
The report states that this policy change is a major step towards tightening restrictions on immigrants from countries that the administration claims do not conduct sufficient background checks on official documents. This change will make life in America more challenging even for those who had arrived in the country before the travel ban was imposed.
Partial Restrictions on 7 Other Countries
In addition to these 12 nations, partial restrictions are also in place for 7 other countries. Citizens of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela cannot obtain permanent entry into the U.S. or certain specific visas.
The administration has also outlined some exceptions to the travel ban. Exemptions have been granted to existing visa holders, Green Card holders, athletes traveling for the 2026 FIFA World Cup or the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, and Afghan citizens eligible for the Special Immigrant Visa program.
What the Policy Changes Entail
According to The New York Times report, although no official announcement has been made, the new policy is seen as an expansion of the administration’s efforts to clamp down on immigrants from countries that the government says do not perform adequate screening and vetting of official documents.
The draft documents state that some countries do not share sufficient vetting and screening information. The authorities in some countries responsible for issuing passports and other documents are also not sufficiently competent, making it difficult for U.S. agencies to determine whether an immigrant from that country is eligible for the relevant benefit.
What is a Green Card?
A Green Card is a document that grants a foreign citizen the status of a Lawful Permanent Resident in the United States. It provides the right to live and work permanently in the U.S. Its holders can:
Reside in the U.S. indefinitely.
Work for any company without restrictions.
Start their own business.
Later apply for U.S. citizenship.
It is also called a Permanent Resident Card. After receiving a Green Card, a person is considered a permanent resident of the U.S., but not a citizen.
