WASHINGTON - The Biden administration will reexamine green cards issued to individuals from 19 countries, a move announced Wednesday as the Trump administration intensifies its crackdown on immigration. The review, prompted by concerns following a recent shooting allegedly committed by an Afghan national, will focus on verifying the initial vetting processes adn ensuring national security.
The decision comes as former President trump has repeatedly blamed the Biden administration for allowing individuals from Afghanistan into the country, arguing it poses a critically important national security threat. More than 190,000 Afghans have resettled in the United States since the US military withdrew from Afghanistan in August 2021, according to the State Department. This reexamination of green cards is consistent with Trump’s established anti-immigration rhetoric.
In a video address from his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, Trump blamed the Biden administration for bringing the alleged shooter to the US and argued the attack “underscores the single greatest national security threat facing our nation.” He stated, “We must now reexamine every single alien who’s entered our country from Afghanistan under Biden and we must take all necessary measures to ensure the removal of any alien from any country who does not belong here or add benefit to our country.” Trump also lamented what he described as “20 million unknown and unvetted foreigners” who entered the US during his predecessor’s administration, casting it ”a risk to our very survival.”
The 19 countries under review have not been publicly disclosed, but officials indicated they where selected based on perceived risk factors and intelligence assessments. A green card designates its holder as a lawful permanent resident of the US, a status distinct from refugee and asylum programs, though refugees are eligible to apply for a green card after one year in the US.
This move builds on previous efforts by the Trump administration to limit both refugee and asylum programs. The reexamination process will involve a thorough review of request materials, background checks, and any available intelligence information to confirm the legitimacy of each green card issued.
