The United States government has suspended processing of green card and citizenship applications from Nigerians after President Donald Trump added Nigeria to an expanded list of countries hit by stringent immigration curbs. The directive, aimed at curbing security risks and visa overstays, immediately freezes family-based, employment, and diversity visa approvals for Nigerian applicants, sparking outrage among diaspora communities and Lagos-based professionals eyeing relocation.
This move echoes Trump's first-term travel bans but broadens to permanent residency pathways, citing Nigeria's high fraud rates in applications and weak passport security per US State Department data. Affected Nigerians, including thousands with pending I-485 adjustments and N-400 naturalizations, face indefinite delays, with no exemptions for spouses or investors.
Critics in Nigeria decry the policy as discriminatory, urging diplomatic pushback from Abuja while advising applicants to monitor USCIS updates amid fears of broader African inclusions.