The U.S. government is planning changes to immigration policy that would make it harder for refugees from Afghanistan and 11 other countries to obtain green cards, according to documents obtained by The New York Times.

The proposed policy targets citizens from the 12 countries included in President Donald Trump's travel ban, including Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Yemen, and others. It would impose additional scrutiny based on“country-specific factors” when evaluating refugee and immigration applications.

The documents suggest the move aims to pressure governments seen by U.S. officials as insufficiently rigorous in vetting migrants. Applications from these countries would be treated as“negative factors” in the review process, potentially delaying or denying green card issuance.

The administration plans to limit permanent residency for certain countries, citing insufficient identity verification and unreliable security data, questioning the legitimacy of passports and official documents.

Exceptions are expected for some categories, including Afghans eligible for Special Immigrant Visas (SIV) who assisted the U.S. during the Afghanistan conflict, green card holders, and athletes traveling for major sporting events such as the 2026 World Cup or 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The policy is still in draft form and has not yet been implemented. Immigration advocacy groups warn it could affect thousands of refugees and migrants who have already been approved for resettlement.

Shawn Vandiver, head of AfghanEvac, said the new rules could block green cards for Afghans who have already had their asylum claims accepted, solely based on nationality.

Advocates are urging Congress and the Trump administration to prevent the policy from becoming official, warning that its enactment would close the door to thousands of refugees who have relied on U.S. commitments during the Afghanistan evacuation.

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