Original Date Announced

President Trump issued Proclamation 10949, enacting total and partial restrictions on entry to the United States for citizens of 19 countries. With few exceptions, it completely bans entry into the United States by citizens of 12 countries (Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen) and partially suspends the entry of citizens of 7 countries (Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela) as visitors or students. It further directs the Secretary of State to review Egypt for consideration for additional restrictions.

The stated purpose of the restrictions is to protect the United States from terrorism and other national security and public safety threats, in keeping with EO 14161. The proclamation is effective 6/9/25.

Trump 2.0 [ID #1796]

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2025.06.07 DOS - Suspension of Visa Issuance to Foreign Nationals to Protect the U.S.

DOS announced that in line with the presidential proclamation, it is fully suspending visa issuance to nationals of Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen for all nonimmigrant and immigrant visa categories, with certain limited exceptions. It is also partially suspending visa issuance to nationals of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela for nonimmigrant B-1/B-2 visitor visas and F, M, and J student and exchange visitor visas, and all immigrant visas, with certain limited exceptions.

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2025.06.07 CBP - Presidential Proclamation: Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals

CBP’s Carrier Liaison Program released information regarding the presidential proclamation described in this entry and its scope, exceptions, and documentation validation instructions. It states that carriers that transport travelers covered by the proclamation may be subject to a fine for each traveler brought to the United States.

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2025.06.08 25-STATE-555666

Cables sent from the Secretary of State to diplomatic and consular staff became public in Thein v. Trump, No. 1:25-cv-02369 (D.D.C.). They provide implementation details about the Trump administration's travel ban. The cables, sent soon after Proclamation 10949, instruct officials to enforce the ban strictly with only rare exceptions.

A cable sent on June 9, 2025, addresses "National Interest Exceptions": "NIEs should be used rarely and the relationship of the travel to U.S. national interests should be exceptional in nature." Examples of acceptable exceptions include travel on behalf of the U.S. government and travel to receive urgent medical care that would not be accessible elsewhere.

Separate cables address exceptions for ethnic minorities from Iran and for athletes with their staff and immediate relatives traveling to compete in international sports-competitions like the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028/2034 Olympic Games.

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2025.06.09 25 STATE 55754

Cable on "National Interest Exceptions"

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2025.06.16 25 STATE 58350

Cable on "major sporting events"

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2025.06.18 25 STATE 71920

Cable on "Ethnic and Religious Minorities Facing Persecution in Iran"

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2025.07.22 Complaint - Thein v. Trump

102 nationals of Afghanistan, Burma, Togo, Somalia, and Iran challenged Proclamation 10949, arguing that the Trump administration unlawfully suspended diversity-visa processing. Apart from unreasonable delays in processing their visa applications, Plaintiffs claim that the proclamation exceeds the President's Immigration and Nationality Act authority, violates the Administrative Procedure Act, and is unconstitutional. They contend that the proclamation's implementation, including its "national interest" exception and the "No Visa Policy," is arbitrary and capricious, and improperly conflates an entry ban with a visa-issuance ban. They seek a court order vacating the proclamation and related policies, and directing all pending diversity-visa applications to be processed by September 30, 2025. Thein v. Trump, No. 1:25-cv-02369 (D.D.C.).

**Link to case here. Our litigation entries generally report only the initial complaint and any major substantive filings or decisions. For additional information, CourtListener provides access to PACER and all available pleadings. Other sites that track litigation in more detail or organize cases by topic include Civil Rights Clearinghouse, Justice Action Center, National Immigration Litigation Alliance, and Just Security**

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2025.07.22 DOS - Delegation of Authority Under Presidential Proclamation Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals

Pursuant to section 4(d) of the Presidential Proclamation, Secretary of State Marco Rubio delegated the authority "to determine that travel by a foreign national would serve a United States national interest" to the Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs. Where such a determination is made, the foreign national may be excepted from the suspensions of and limitations on entry imposed by the Presidential Proclamation.

The Delegation of Authority was dated June 9, 2025 but was published in the Federal Register on July 22, 2025.

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2025.12.19 DOS Delegation of Authority—Executive Order 14163 and Presidential Proclamation 10949

Secretary of State Marco Rubio delegated authority under Section 4(d) of Presidential Proclamation 10949 to the Assistant Secretary of PRM "to determine that travel by a foreign national would serve a United States national interest" notwithstanding the suspension of entry imposed in the proclamation under INA 212(f) and 215(a).

Secretary Rubio additionally delegated authority under Section 3(c) of EO 14163 to the Assistant Secretary for Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) "to determine that the entry of such aliens as refugees is in the national interest and does not pose a threat to the security or welfare of the United States." Section 3(c) states that notwithstanding suspension of the refugee program, the Secretary of State and Secretary of Homeland Security may "jointly determine to admit aliens to the United States as refugees on a case-by-case basis, in their discretion, but only so long as they" make the determination described in the delegation.

The delegation was made on August 20, 2025, but published in the Federal Register on December 19, 2025.

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2025.08.21 Memorandum Opinion - Thein v. Trump

District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan granted Plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction in part and denied it in part. The court distinguished between two groups of plaintiffs: plaintiffs who claim that their visa applications were not adjudicated because they are undergoing administrative processing, and plaintiffs whose applications were adjudicated and denied because of Proclamation 10949.

The court first found that plaintiffs whose visa applications were adjudicated and denied failed to overcome the doctrine of consular non-reviewability. However, it found that plaintiffs undergoing administrative processing established that they are likely to prevail on their claims. The court ordered the Secretary of State to “expeditiously process and adjudicate” applications in administrative process by September 30, 2025. It further enjoined the Secretary from issuing visa-application refusals based on 8 U.S.C. § 1182(f), Proclamation 10949, or related guidance. Thein v. Trump, No. 1:25-cv-02369 (D.D.C.).

**Link to case here. See litigation note above**

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2025.10.21 Complaint - AA v. U.S. Department of State

Seven Afghan asylees and their families filed a lawsuit to challenge the DOS’s application of Proclamation 10949 to derivative asylees. Plaintiffs are Afghans who were paroled into the United States following the United States’ withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 and then granted asylum, as well as their family members who already have been approved for derivative asylum through the “follow-to-join“ pathway. The suit alleges that DOS has adopted a “mandatory, non-discretionary policy and practice to refuse travel documents to derivative asylees based on Proclamation 10949,” and consequently denied the derivative asylees entry into the United States. The complaint argues that DOS's actions violate the Administrative Procedure Act, the Fifth Amendment, and DOS’s internal rules, regulations, policies, and procedures. The complaint also alleges that the application of Proclamation 10949 is unconstitutionally vague. AA v. U.S. Department of State, No. 1:25-cv-01819 (E.D. Va.).

**Link to case here. See litigation note above**

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2025.11.27 - USCIS Implements Additional National Security Measures in the Wake of National Guard Shooting by Afghan National

Following the November 26, 2025, shooting of two National Guard members, USCIS issued immediate policy guidance significantly altering national security vetting procedures. The new directive permits adjudicators to consider "negative, country-specific factors" as significant adverse evidence when reviewing applications from nationals of 19 designated "high-risk" countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Venezuela, and Yemen. Additionally, the agency has halted the adjudication of all asylum applications and suspended final decisions on benefit requests (such as Green Cards and naturalization) for nationals of these designated countries.

Please see archived versions of the relevant Policy Manual sections prior to these changes for comparison with previous standards:

• Volume 8, Part F (National Security Determinations): Previously outlined the standard inadmissibility grounds without the current broad mandate for "country-specific" negative weighting.
• Volume 1, Part C (Biometrics & Security Checks): Detailed the standard background check procedures before the introduction of these enhanced vetting protocols.

Affected Populations include nationals from the 19 designated countries (Afghanistan, Burma, Burundi, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, Yemen) and all applicants for asylum.

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2025.11.27 USCIS Policy Alert PA-2025-26: Impact of INA 212(f) on USCIS’ Adjudication of Discretionary Benefits

USCIS announced that it is updating its Policy Manual to address Proclamation 10949. The agency states that it will now consider the country-specific factors outlined in Proclamation 10949 when adjudicating discretionary benefit requests from noncitizens from the 19 countries identified in the proclamation. Affected benefits requests "include, but are not limited to, certain adjustment of status applications, extension of nonimmigrant stay, and change of nonimmigrant status."

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2025.12.02 USCIS PM 602-0192 - Hold and Review of all Pending Asylum Applications and all USCIS Benefit Applications Filed by Aliens from High-Risk Countries

USCIS issued a policy memorandum directing USCIS personnel to, among other things:

1. pause pending benefit requests for noncitizens from countries listed in Proclamation 10949, pending a comprehensive review and without regard to entry date; and
2. conduct a comprehensive re-review of approved benefit requests for noncitizens from such countries who entered the United States on or after January 20, 2021.

The memorandum states that USCIS will review benefit eligibility on a case-by-case basis, considering factors such as whether the noncitizen is listed in a terrorist screening dataset; is linked to certain organizations that may pose a risk of harm or danger; or is unable to establish their identity. Noncitizens may be required to undergo an interview or re-interview “to fully assess all national security and public safety threats.”

As justification, the memorandum references EO 14161, “Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorist and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats,” and the recent National Guard shooting. It states that the guidance is necessary to ensure that "aliens from high-risk countries of concern who entered the United States do not pose a threat to national security or public safety."

The policy memorandum additional directed USCIS personnel to pause adjudications of all asylum applications without regard to country of nationality.

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2025.12.02 Reported: Administration cancels some naturalization ceremonies for those on travel ban list - ABC News

ABC News reports that naturalization ceremonies for some individuals from the 19 countries listed in the Proclamation were canceled less than a week before they were scheduled to occur. Other nationals of these countries have had their naturalization interviews cancelled without explanation.

GBH similarly reported that some individuals from the 19 countries, who had not received cancellation notices, were told that their oath ceremonies were canceled upon showing up for the ceremonies.

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2025.12.19 Proclamation 10998 - Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals To Protect the Security of the United States

President Trump issued Proclamation 10998, which builds on Proclamation 10949 and implements new and additional travel restrictions on nationals from 20 countries. The proclamation announces a total ban on entry for citizens of Burkina Faso, Laos, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Syria, and the Palestinian authority, and a partial ban on entry for citizens from Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cote d ‘Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, the Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Proclamation 10998 supersedes Proclamation 10949 by subjecting citizens of Laos and Sierra Leone to a complete entry ban, instead of the partial entry ban announced in Proclamation 10949. Proclamation 10998 also alters the partial entry ban applied to Turkmenistan in Proclamation 10949, lifting the ban for nonimmigrant visas including B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas, but retaining the ban for citizens of Turkmenistan applying for entry as immigrants. Combined, the two proclamations fully restrict entry of nationals from 19 countries and Palestine, and partially restrict entry of nationals from 20 countries.

Proclamation 10998 contains limited exceptions for lawful permanent residents, visaholders in certain categories, and those whose travel DHS determines "would serve a United States national interest."

It is effective January 1, 2026.

For further information about Proclamation 10998 and subsequent actions related to it, see this entry.

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2026.01.01 USCIS PM-602-0194 - Hold and Review of USCIS Benefit Applications Filed by Aliens from Additional High-Risk Countries

In response to Proclamation 10998, USCIS issued a policy memo announcing that it will conduct a "comprehensive re-review, potential interview, and re-interview" of all noncitizens who are nationals of or born in any of the countries listed in Proclamation 10998 and who entered the U.S. on or after January 20, 2021. This includes a "comprehensive re-review" of approved benefit requests implicated in Proclamation 10998 that were approved on or after January 20, 2021.

The memo also directs USCIS personnel to place an "adjudicative hold" on pending benefit applications for noncitizens who are nationals of or born in any of the countries listed in Proclamation 10998, regardless of entry date, pending a "comprehensive review" of whether the noncitizen is: listed in the Terrorist Screening Dataset (TSDS); inadmissible or deportable on terrorism- or security-related grounds; associated with criminal or other activity that "may pose a risk of serious harm or danger to the community"; or unable to establish their identity as required by Proclamations 10949 and 10998. Family-based immigrant visa applications from family members of noncitizens subject to the hold are no longer broadly exempt from the Proclamation 10998 restrictions. The memo lists 10 exceptions to the hold.

The memo further directs USCIS personnel to conduct a "comprehensive review of all policies, procedures, and screening and vetting processes for benefit requests" for noncitizens from countries listed in Proclamation 10998.

USCIS notes that this memo does not supersede the guidance in the December 2, 2025 USCIS policy memo described above, except with regard to the 10 exceptions to the adjudicative hold listed in the new memo.

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2026.01.09 Complaint - Nezameslami v. Rezaee

A group of 269 plaintiffs consisting of citizens of Iran, Venezuela, Nigeria, Syria, Haiti, Burma, Libya, Sierra Leone, Malawi, Benin, and Laos filed a class-action lawsuit against DHS and USCIS challenging three agency policies that extend Proclamations 10949 and 10998—which restrict the entry of nationals from 39 designated countries—to domestic immigration benefit adjudications:

• (1) USCIS Policy Alert PA-2025-26, which directs USCIS officers to consider “relevant country-specific facts” as “significant negative factors” in adjudicating discretionary immigration benefits requests filed by aliens from the 19 countries enumerated in Presidential Proclamation 10949;
• (2) USCIS Policy Memorandum 602-0192’s “hold on pending benefits requests” for nationals from the same 19 countries;
• (3) USCIS Policy Memorandum PM-602-0194, which extends policies (1) and (2) to the 20 additional countries identified in Presidential Proclamation 10998.

The challenged policies impact nationals of the designated countries who are present in the United States and have pending or approved applications for benefits such as asylum, adjustment of status, naturalization, and employment authorization. The plaintiffs argue that these actions violate the APA and INA by effectively halting domestic benefit processing based on national origin, and seek declaratory and injunctive relief compelling USCIS to resume processing their applications. Nezameslami v. Rezaee, No. 1:26-cv-00151 (N.D. Ga.).

**Link to case here. See litigation note above**

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2026.01.12 Complaint - Saghafi v. Edlow

A group of 83 immigrants filed a lawsuit challenging two USCIS memos issued in December 2025 and January 2026 that halted the adjudication of benefits for specific nationals in connection with recent Presidential Proclamations, including the adjudications of green cards. The contested memos are PM-602-0192, “Hold and Review of all Pending Asylum Applications and all USCIS Benefit Applications Filed by Aliens from High-Risk Countries," and PM-602-0194, which extended the freeze to additional high-risk countries. Plaintiffs argue the agency's indefinite hold based on national origin violates the INA and APA, and seek declaratory and injunctive relief, as well as a writ of mandamus to compel USCIS to resume processing Form I-485 applications.

The policy impacts lawful residents from 39 countries and the Palestinian Authority—specifically citing Afghanistan, Eritrea, Iran, Syria, and Venezuela—whose adjustment of status applications have been stalled. The affected population includes skilled professionals, such as physicians and researchers, as well as asylees and Afghan Special Immigrant Visa holders. Saghafi v. Edlow, No. 8:26-cv-00100 (D. Md.).

**Link to case here. See litigation note above**

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

Opinion - Thein v. Trump

Judge Sooknanan granted Defendant's motion to dismiss and denied Plaintiffs' additional request for injunctive relief, finding their remaining claims moot. In August 2025, the court ordered the Secretary of State to undertake good-faith efforts to expedite and adjudicate Plaintiffs' visa applications by September 30, 2025. The court held that since Plaintiffs had their visa applications adjudicated, their claims alleging that Defendants unlawfully delayed adjudicating their visas are moot.

The court also held that, because the diversity visas at issue are now expired, Plaintiffs' challenges to the Department of State's reliance on Proclamation 10949 and 8 U.S.C. § 1182(f) to suspend adjudication of or deny visa applications are now moot. It denied Plaintiffs' challenges under the non-delegation doctrine and separation of powers, holding that the Supreme Court's 2018 ruling in Trump v. Hawaii forecloses such challenges. Thein v. Trump, No. 1:25-cv-02369 (D.D.C.).

**Link to case here. See litigation note above**