Trump Green Card Crackdown: Full List Of ‘Countries Of Concern’ — Are Indians Affected? | World News
In a major policy shift after two National Guard officers were shot by an Afghan national near the White House, the Trump administration announced a “full-scale, rigorous review” of Green Cards issued to immigrants designated as “countries of concern.”
The directive was approved today by USCIS Director Joseph Edlow, who said the action was taken at the request of US President Donald Trump.
“At the direction of @POTUS, I have directed a full-scale, rigorous re-examination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern,” Edlow wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter. he wrote. He added that the protection of the American people is “paramount” and harshly criticized the previous administration for having “reckless resettlement policies.”
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towards @POTUSI directed a full-scale, rigorous review of every Green Card for every alien from every country of interest. — USCIS Director Joseph B. Edlow (@USCISJoe) 27 November 2025
Event Triggering the Policy
The policy change comes after a tragic incident near the White House on Wednesday:
Attack: Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal opened fire and shot two National Guard officers. US Army specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, was killed and US Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains in critical condition.
Status of the Perpetrator: Lakanwal first entered the United States in 2021 as part of the evacuation and resettlement program launched under the Joe Biden administration following the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. He was later granted asylum status after Trump assumed the presidency.
Who Will Be Affected by the Coup?
The new policy guidance will allow USCIS officials to consider country-specific factors when reviewing immigration requests, especially when it comes to the 19 countries designated as ‘high risk’.
Countries of Interest: The countries on the list are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Burundi, Chad, Republic of Congo, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela and Yemen.
Impact on Native Americans: The crackdown on Green Card holders will have no impact on Indians living in the US, as India is not one of the countries of concern. The new policy guidance will be effective immediately and will apply to all immigration claims, pending or filed, on or after November 27. Green Cards, or Permanent Resident Cards, offer holders legal resident status and a path to U.S. citizenship.
READ ALSO | After White House Attack, Trump Announces Permanent Freeze on Immigration from ‘Third World Countries’
