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News Topical, Digital Desk : The US administration is developing a new immigration policy that could see President Donald Trump withdraw the Green Guard facility for citizens subject to the travel ban, according to the New York Times, citing internal documents from the Department of Homeland Security.
The draft, which has not yet been internalized, would direct U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to consider country-specific factors from the travel ban as significant negative factors when evaluating certain immigration applications.
Biden administration official called it a revolutionary change
Doug Rand, a senior USCIS official during the Biden administration, called this a radical shift. "Now they're trying to reach deep into the United States and overturn the established expectations of people already living here. This is another example of the Trump administration's assault on legal immigration," he said.
What changes will the new policy bring?
USCIS officers will consider the country-specific factors of the travel ban as automatic negative marks against applicants.
This would apply to green cards, asylum, parole and some other discretionary benefits.
This will not apply to citizenship applications.
Officers currently consider factors such as community ties, criminal records, and humanitarian needs. This change will also incorporate nationality-based risk into their decisions.
Which countries are included in Trump's travel ban list?
Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
In addition, seven other countries are subject to partial restrictions. Citizens of these countries are barred from permanently settling in the United States, nor can they obtain tourist or student visas. They include Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
Read More: China advises its citizens not to travel to Japan, increasing tensions between the two countries
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