Trump Admin Halts All Asylum Decisions, Pauses Afghan Visas

The announcements are part of a wave of immigration-related orders from the administration after two National Guard members were shot near the White House.

Migrants wait outside the facilities of the Commission for Refugee Assistance (COMAR) to complete their paperwork for their CBP appointment, in Naucalpan, State of Mexico, on Jan. 28, 2025. Alfredo Estrella/AFP via Getty Images

The Trump administration on Nov. 28 halted all asylum decisions and paused visa issuance for Afghan nationals following the shooting of two National Guard members near the White House, citing national security concerns.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said it halted all asylum decisions, “until we can ensure that every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible,” USCIS Director Joseph B. Edlow wrote in an X post. “The safety of the American people always comes first.”