Trump Administration Eases Some Asylum Restrictions, Excludes Afghans and Other Countries

The Donald Trump administration has announced that it will ease some of the restrictions previously imposed on the processing of asylum applications. However, this decision does not include citizens of Afghanistan and several other countries.

According to a report by CBS News, the change represents a rollback of a policy that had broadly halted the review of asylum cases. The policy was introduced following a deadly shooting in Washington, D.C. in late November 2025, in which an Afghan asylum seeker opened fire on two National Guard members, killing one of them.

In the aftermath of the incident, the U.S. government suspended the processing of many asylum applications outside immigration courts, effectively freezing thousands of cases for an indefinite period.

Now, officials from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security say that the suspension has been lifted for some cases, and processing has resumed for applicants from countries considered “low-risk.”

However, restrictions remain in place for citizens of 39 countries that are subject to stricter immigration and travel policies. These include Afghanistan, Iran, Somalia, Nigeria, Cuba, Haiti, and Venezuela.

Officials say the goal of this decision is to focus more on enhanced security screening for cases deemed higher risk. They added that security vetting for all immigrants will continue rigorously.

At the same time, the processing of other immigration applications for nationals of these countries—including work permits, permanent residency, and citizenship—remains suspended.

These measures are part of the broader policy of the Trump administration aimed at tightening legal immigration to the United States. While government officials emphasize strengthening security and preventing abuse, critics warn that such policies could harm individuals pursuing legal pathways and have negative impacts on immigrant communities, including Afghans living in the United States.