The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has implemented a directive halting applications for asylum, including final adjudications of these cases. Specifically, the order suspends all immigration benefits for nationals of countries listed in Presidential Proclamation 10949.

This policy memo instructs USCIS personnel to:
(1) Place holds on Form I-589 (Application for Asylum and Withholding of Removal), irrespective of nationality;
(2) Suspend pending benefit requests from individuals originating in the specified list of nations, regardless of their entry date; and
(3) Initiate comprehensive re-evaluations for approved benefits by nationals from these countries who entered on or after January 20, 2021.

The directive states that affected applicants are subject to a “thorough re-review process,” including potential interviews if necessary. This includes assessing any national security and public safety threats, as well as other related grounds of inadmissibility or ineligible status.

The policy effectively pauses naturalization processes for citizens from these 19 nations, canceling ceremonies already scheduled for nationals from Venezuela, Iran, and Afghanistan among others. USCIS is required to hold all applications until further notice unless explicitly approved by the director or deputy director.

Officials anticipate this pause will remain in effect pending a decision on whether national security concerns justify expanding the list of restricted countries under review.