US Orders Review of All Green Cards Issued to Migrants From Sierra Leone, 18 Other Countries
The United States government has ordered a sweeping review of all Green Cards issued to migrants from Sierra Leone and 18 other countries, following an attack on National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday.
The announcement was made public on Thursday as U.S. authorities identified the suspect as a 29-year-old Afghan national who had previously worked alongside American forces in Afghanistan.
According to AfghanEvac, an organisation involved in relocating Afghans after the Taliban’s 2021 takeover, the suspect had been granted asylum in April 2025—not permanent residency, as some initial reports had suggested.
In a statement released on X, the Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Joseph Edlow, confirmed the new directive:
“I have directed a full-scale, rigorous re-examination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern.”
He added that the move followed the President’s order to intensify scrutiny of migrants originating from specific nations deemed high-risk.
The directive expands on an earlier policy placing nearly all citizens from 12 countries—including Afghanistan—under a full travel ban.
The updated list groups affected countries into two categories:
Countries Under Full Travel Ban (12)
Afghanistan
Myanmar
Chad
Congo-Brazzaville
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Haiti
Iran
Libya
Somalia
Sudan
Yemen
Countries Under Partial Ban (7)
Burundi
Cuba
Laos
Sierra Leone
Togo
Turkmenistan
Venezuela
Officials say the expanded review is part of a broader effort to reassess vetting procedures in light of the Washington attack. The review is expected to operate alongside other tightened entry and screening measures for individuals from countries designated as high-risk.
