Overview
- Draft documents indicate USCIS would count “country-specific factors” tied to the June travel ban as significant negative factors in adjudications.
- If adopted, the change would make applicants from the 12 listed countries less likely to secure green cards or other benefits and could reach people who entered legally before the ban.
- USCIS has declined to comment on the internal drafts, which remain under development according to the New York Times’ reporting.
- Times Now reports the policy would apply to cases requiring discretionary analysis, including some green-card applications, asylum and parole, while citizenship applications would not be covered.
- Officials cite weak screening in listed countries as justification, while advocates and former officials call the plan national‑origin discrimination and place it within a wider tightening that includes a lower refugee cap and expanded social‑media screening.