The United States government has temporarily halted the processing of legal immigration applications filed by Nigerians and nationals of other countries newly added to President Donald Trump’s expanded travel ban, according to CBS News.
The suspension, implemented by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), affects immigrants already living in the United States who are seeking permanent residency or citizenship. The move follows an expansion of the travel ban earlier this week, which fully bars entry from five countries and partially restricts travel from 15 others, including Nigeria.
A US official disclosed that the immigration freeze now applies to the new countries listed in Trump’s proclamation. Nations facing full bans include Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Syria, while Nigeria and several African and Caribbean countries face partial restrictions.
The policy follows a series of immigration clampdowns announced after the Thanksgiving week shooting of two US National Guard soldiers in Washington, D.C. Trump has defended the measures as necessary for national security and improved vetting.
The decision has sparked criticism in Nigeria, with many describing it as unfair and potentially damaging to diplomatic and economic relations. Former senator Shehu Sani said the move signals that migrants from developing countries are “no longer welcome.”
