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June 2025 Policy- Entry Restrictions
In June 2025, the administration issued a sweeping proclamation restricting or suspending entry into the United States for nationals of certain “countries of concern.”
November 2025 Policy—Green Card Re-Examination
In November 2025, after a violent shooting incident in Washington, D.C., resulting in the death of a National Guard member and critical injury to another, the administration announced a new and separate policy:
So, in short, the June policy relates and restricts who can enter, and the recent November policy affects those already inside the US and whether they can actually stay.
Both the June and November actions involve the same group of countries:
Afghanistan, Burma, Burundi, Chad, Cuba, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, and Yemen.
USCIS has stated that green cards from these countries will undergo re-examination, which may include:
At this time, there is no public guidance available that indicates how this initiative will be carried out. For most people, this will likely result in additional scrutiny, and for some, possible revocation, especially if USCIS believes that their green cards were erroneously issued based on
incomplete vetting or procured through misrepresentation.
These policies directly affect immigrants in New Jersey because the Garden State has one of the most diverse immigrant populations in the United States particularly in Jersey City, Newark, Paterson, Elizabeth, New Brunswick, Edison as well as Freehold. As attorneys who practice primarily in New Jersey, we are acutely aware of the pressures and anxieties that immigrant populations face under these new restrictions and can help you formulate strategies to preserve your status and enhance your chances of approval.
If you are from one of the 19 countries, your immigration case is realistically going to face major delays. There are credible reports that USCIS will be pausing final decisions on all types of immigration applications for nationals from the 19 countries while the new review process is underway (but again no formal written guidance has been publicly released). This includes but is not limited to decisions on green card cases as well as citizenship cases. This means that if you have applied for a green card, you may not receive a formal approval now until the government is satisfied there are no issues after its advanced screening. Furthermore, even if someone has passed their citizenship interview, he or she will not be scheduled for an oath ceremony under this latest directive.
Yes. The administration has announced a halt to all asylum decisions nationwide, regardless of nationality--whether or not the applicant is from one of the 19 travel ban countries.
Separately, the government paused visa issuance for people traveling on Afghan passports.
Respond immediately — and ideally with legal assistance. You do not want to ignore or fail to respond to any notice from USCIS, DHS or EOIR. Common notices include:
It may be prudent and worthwhile to explore the legal ramifications of these new policies. You should particularly consider seeking legal advice from a New Jersey immigration lawyer if you live in New Jersey and if you:
A proactive legal review is one of the best ways to identify vulnerabilities before USCIS does and properly assemble a strong response should the government question any aspect of your case under any of President Trump’s 2025 green card or visa policies.
For more information regarding how your case may be affected by the latest immigration policies, please contact our office to schedule a confidential consultation.