The U.S. government has suspended citizenship ceremonies and paused the processing of immigration benefits — including green cards and naturalization applications — for nationals of 19 countries that are on the administration’s travel-ban list, according to internal guidance and multiple news reports. The action was first reported by major outlets on Dec. 2–3, 2025 and affects both pending and scheduled ceremonies for people from the named nations.
According to Reuters and other outlets, the decision follows a high-profile security incident in Washington, D.C., involving an Afghan national, which officials said prompted an expanded security review of applicants from countries deemed “high risk.” The new guidance directs U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to pause and re-review applications from the 19 countries and to cancel or postpone some naturalization swearing-in ceremonies that were set to take place this week.
Media coverage and internal memos indicate that ceremonies for nationals of Venezuela, Iran and Afghanistan were among those canceled or put on hold in the days after the directive. Local USCIS field offices have sent notices to county clerks and courts notifying them that certain December ceremonies would not proceed as scheduled. USCIS officials have framed the moves as part of a national-security driven reassessment; critics say the policy amounts to sweeping collective restrictions on people solely because of their nationality.
Immigration advocates, legal experts and civil-rights organizations reacted sharply, warning that halting large categories of immigration processing undermines due process and risks discriminating against people on the basis of nationality or religion. Several groups signaled they are preparing legal challenges, arguing that long-standing vetting procedures already include multiple security checks and that blanket pauses are unprecedented outside of wartime or immediate national emergencies.
The administration’s move is part of a broader enforcement push announced in recent days that expands prior travel restrictions and calls for tightened vetting measures. Officials say the step is temporary while agencies conduct re-reviews; opponents counter that the pause will create backlogs, disrupt families and delay benefits for people who have already completed lengthy application steps. News reports indicate the list of affected countries includes Afghanistan, Iran, Somalia, Yemen, Libya, Venezuela and several others that have previously been subject to travel restrictions.
USCIS did not immediately provide a public, detailed list of every ceremony canceled nationwide; local clerks and field offices have reported a mix of cancellations, reschedulings and requests for additional documentation. Officials have said they will reschedule ceremonies once reviews are completed and logistical requirements are met, but no firm timeline has been provided in the public reporting so far.
What to watch next: expect legal filings from immigrant-rights groups, congressional scrutiny and local disruptions where large swearing-in ceremonies were planned. Observers will also be watching whether the administration expands or narrows the list of affected countries, and whether federal courts intervene to block or limit the pause.
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