Azernews.Az

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced plans to re-verify the green cards of foreign nationals arriving from 19 so-called “countries of concern,” including Afghanistan, Azernews reports.

The announcement was made on social media by Joseph Edlow, director of USCIS. He stated that, following instructions from U.S. President Donald Trump, a full and comprehensive review of green cards for all foreign nationals from these countries has been ordered.

The statement came a day after two U.S. National Guard soldiers were tragically shot near the White House. The suspect, an Afghan citizen, entered the United States in 2021.

Experts note that while the measure aims to strengthen national security, it could also lead to delays and increased scrutiny for lawful immigrants from these countries. Some analysts warn that USCIS will need to balance rigorous security checks with fairness and efficiency to avoid unnecessary disruptions for residents who have been living in the U.S. lawfully for years.

This initiative may also accelerate the adoption of new digital verification technologies within USCIS, potentially modernizing the immigration system and reducing administrative backlogs in the long term.