Why U.S. halted green card, citizenship application for Nigerians, others

The United States government has suspended the processing of permanent residency (Green Card) and citizenship applications for certain foreign nationals already living legally in the country, including Nigerians.

Unlike earlier restrictions that focused on blocking entry at U.S. borders, the latest measure targets immigrants who are already resident in the country and seeking to regularise or adjust their status.

The policy affects Nigeria and several other countries recently added to an expanded travel ban under the Trump administration.

The decision, authorised by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, marks a major tightening of immigration policy and follows a recent domestic security incident involving a beneficiary of the Diversity Visa Programme.

Confirming the move, a State Department spokesperson said the issuance of diversity visas had been paused indefinitely to allow authorities to fully assess who is being admitted into the United States.

The suspension followed the identification of Claudio Neves Valente, a Portuguese national and former student, as a diversity visa recipient and the main suspect in a recent shooting at Brown University.

Valente was also linked to the killing of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor before he was later found dead after a multi-state manhunt.

Earlier this month, the White House directed U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to halt the processing of petitions from nationals of 19 countries initially restricted in June.

This has since been expanded to include 20 more countries under a new proclamation.

Under the revised policy, five countries — Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Syria — face full entry bans. Another 15 countries, including Nigeria, Angola, Senegal and Malawi, are subject to partial restrictions that have effectively resulted in a total pause of internal immigration processing.

The administration has linked the tougher stance to security concerns, citing a Thanksgiving week shooting in Washington, D.C., in which two National Guard soldiers were killed. Authorities allege the suspect was an Afghan national, a claim the White House has used to justify stricter vetting measures.

The Diversity Visa Programme, popularly known as the Green Card Lottery, allocates up to 55,000 visas annually through a random selection process. Applicants must meet basic education or work requirements and pass security checks. However, the programme has long faced criticism from President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly called for its removal in favour of a merit-based immigration system.

Impact on Applicants

The suspension is expected to significantly affect applicants from Africa, Asia and Europe, which account for most beneficiaries of the programme.

African countries, in particular, recorded the highest participation rates for the 2026 fiscal year.

Immigration lawyers say the policy also affects individuals already in the U.S. who were in the process of adjusting their status.

Legal residents who won the diversity lottery must apply through USCIS for permanent residency, a process now on hold.

Observers view the move as a further escalation of the administration’s broader immigration crackdown, using domestic security concerns to push sweeping policy changes.

Diplomatic Concerns

With more than 60 per cent of African countries affected, critics argue the decision goes beyond security and signals a deeper ideological shift.

They warn it could damage diplomatic relations, particularly with Nigeria, and have long-term economic and humanitarian consequences.

Defending the action, USCIS Director Joseph Edlow said the agency is conducting a comprehensive review to identify potential risks and restore order to the immigration system.

Legal experts have warned that the policy may face court challenges, noting that halting applications for law-abiding, tax-paying residents represents a sharp break from long-standing immigration practice in the United States.