The Trump administration has instructed the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to suspend processing of green card and citizenship applications for Nigerians and other nationals newly added to the expanded travel ban, CBS News reports.
The move follows Trump’s proclamation on Tuesday, citing national security concerns and deficiencies in vetting, screening, and information-sharing. Nigeria is among 15 countries subject to partial restrictions, while some nations, including Laos and Sierra Leone, have been upgraded to full bans.
The proclamation comes after Nigeria was declared a “country of particular concern” on October 31, 2025, amid allegations of targeted violence against Christians.
The suspension affects a broad spectrum of applicants, including those already in the US, and adds to ongoing anxieties among Nigerian students, professionals, and families planning travel or seeking permanent residence.
Countries with Full Travel Bans: Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, Syria, Laos, Sierra Leone.
Partial Restrictions: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
This expansion underscores a growing pattern of US immigration policies targeting certain nationalities and raises urgent questions about diplomatic engagement, diaspora protection, and the human cost of security-driven immigration restrictions.
Emma Tochi ✔
Godwin Okafor is the Publisher & CEO of Naija247news Media Group LLC, an independent investigative news platform delivering accurate, data-driven reporting on Nigerian and global politics, economy, finance, and business. Founded in October 2010, Naija247news specializes in developmental journalism, providing timely insights and analysis to readers across Nigeria and the diaspora.
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