Q#1: I am constantly hearing about travel bans for many countries, increased ICE and CBP activity nationwide, and reports of USCIS detaining people during green card interviews. Can you explain what this all means?
A#1: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was created in 2002 and oversees several immigration related agencies that include Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
ICE primarily operates within the United States and is responsible for identifying, detaining, and removing individuals who are present in the country illegally. CBP generally operates at U.S. borders and ports of entry, including international airports, and is responsible for inspecting individuals seeking admission to the United States. USCIS is the agency responsible for adjudicating immigration benefits including DACA, green cards, citizenship, and work authorization, but does not deport people.
Prior to the Trump Administration, these agencies generally operated with greater independence and clearer separation between enforcement and benefits adjudication. More recently, we have seen increased coordination and information sharing among ICE, CBP, and USCIS, which has resulted in greater collaboration in identifying, detaining, and removing individuals who are determined to be unlawfully present in the United States.
Q#2: In the past several months, multiple travel bans have been announced affecting people from many countries. Who is included in these bans, and how are they affected?
A#2: The first travel ban was issued on June 4, 2025. That ban affected 19 countries in total with full restrictions on entry to the US on some and partial restrictions on others.
On December 16, 2025, the ban was expanded to include a total of 39 countries that are either fully or partially restricted from being granted entry to the US and also banned from being able to file for immigration benefits (including filing for Green Cards) while outside or inside of the US.
On January 21, 2026, the Trump Administration announced an indefinite pause on the approval of immigrant visas for nationals of an additional 75 countries. At this time, this pause only affects immigrant visa issuance abroad and does not apply to individuals who are already inside the United States.
Q#3: What are the specific countries affected, and in what way?
A#3: Below is a summary of the countries currently identified as being affected by the various travel and visa restrictions.
| Countries with full restrictions on entry as immigrant (Green Card) and non-immigrant (Tourists and Students) status: | |||||
| Afghanistan | Equatorial Guinea | Iran | Sudan | Laos | Afghanistan |
| Burma | Eritrea | Libya | Yemen | Mali | Burma |
| Chad | Haiti | Somalia | Burkina Faso | Niger | Chad |
| Individuals using Palestinian Authority-issued travel documents (not a country but included) | |||||
| Countries with partial restrictions on entry as immigrant (Green Card) and certain non-immigrant (Tourist and Students) status: | ||||
| Angola | Dominica | Malawi | Tanzania | Burundi |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Gabon | Mauritania | Tonga | Venezuela |
| Benin | The Gambia | Nigeria | Zambia | Cuba |
| Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) | Senegal | Zimbabwe | Togo | |
| The additional 75 countries with “paused” immigrant visas (such as Green Cards through Family Member or their Employer): | |||||
| nistan | Brazil | Fiji | Kazakhstan | Moldova | Tanzania |
| Albania | Burma | Georgia | Kuwait | Montenegro | Thailand |
| Algeria | Cambodia | Ghana | Kyrgyzstan | Morocco | Togo |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Cameroon | Grenada | Laos | Nepal | Tunisia |
| Armenia | Cape Verde | Guatemala | Lebanon | Nicaragua | Uganda |
| Azerbaijan | Colombia | Guinea | Liberia | Nigeria | Uruguay |
| Bahamas | Congo | Haiti | Libya | Pakistan | Uzbekistan |
| Bangladesh | Cuba | Iran | Macedonia | Republic of the Congo | Yemen |
| Barbados | Dominica | Iraq | Moldova | Russia | |
| Belarus | Egypt | Ivory Coast | Mongolia | Rwanda | |
| Belize | Eritrea | Jamaica | Montenegro | Saint Kitts and Nevis | |
| Bhutan | Ethiopia | Jordan | Morocco | Saint Lucia | |
| Bosnia | Gambia | Kosovo | Mongolia | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | |
Q#4: Very recently, Minneapolis has seen an influx of ICE and CBP agents going door to door to find people that may not have lawful immigration status. This has created intense backlash after the fatal shootings of two US Citizens by federal ICE agents in the city during enforcement operations. There is a funding bill that was previously expected to pass by January 30th that would continue funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its immigration operations. Because of the events in Minneapolis, that funding has been held up, and the likelihood that the DHS funding bill will pass is unlikely.
What can be done to push back on the Administration’s use of ICE and other agencies when they are perceived to be overstepping their legal jurisdiction?
A#4: In response to the expanded interior enforcement and the shootings in Minneapolis, state and local officials have filed lawsuits seeking to block or limit these federal enforcement operations and to challenge alleged abuses of authority in court.
Another keyway to express your opinion on ICE’s actions is to contact your elected representatives in Congress. The U.S. Senate and House decide whether and how to fund DHS, including ICE and CBP. Reaching out to your U.S. Senators and Representative by phone or email to express concerns about enforcement tactics, oversight, and funding priorities can influence how they vote on the DHS appropriations bill that currently is being debated. You can find your Congressperson or Senator and contact them using your zip code here. It is especially important to do this while funding debates are ongoing, whether you are a US Citizen, an immigrant, or both!!
Eamonn P.S. Roach is an attorney of the firm Roach & Bishop, LLP in Pasco, Washington, who practices immigration law. This information does not constitute legal advice. It is possible that this information does not apply to you. Each case depends on specific facts. If you have questions regarding the immigration laws that you would like answered in this column, please send them to: Eamonn P.S. Roach, 9221 Sandifur Pkwy, Suite C., Pasco, WA 99301, phone: (509) 547-7587, fax: (509) 547-7745; or email eroach@roachlaw.com.
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