Just days after a violent shootout involving National Guard soldiers near the White House left the nation shaken, the Trump administration has issued an unexpected and controversial warning directed at green card holders from 19 foreign nations, citing what officials described as “heightened national security concerns” in the aftermath of the incident. The announcement has already set off panic and outrage among immigrant communities across the United States.
The warning, first detailed in a memo obtained by Politico, urges permanent residents from a list of “high-risk jurisdictions” to avoid travel outside U.S. borders until further notice. Sources inside the Department of Homeland Security told reporters that the measure was implemented as a “temporary precautionary response” following intelligence assessments connected to the D.C. shooting that occurred late Friday night near Constitution Avenue.
“We are taking every possible step to ensure national stability,” a senior DHS official said, speaking anonymously to Reuters. “Given the circumstances surrounding the recent attack and the emerging intelligence patterns, we are urging lawful permanent residents from 19 designated countries to remain within U.S. territory until security evaluations are complete.”
“The Trump administration issues a travel advisory for green card holders from 19 nations, citing national security risks after the D.C. shooting.” @guardian
The memo reportedly names countries across the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia — including Pakistan, Yemen, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Nigeria, Somalia, Syria, and Afghanistan — among those affected. While the administration has not confirmed the full list publicly, officials say it closely mirrors the nations previously targeted under Trump’s earlier travel restrictions implemented during his first term.
According to CNN, the move comes after investigators found that the suspect in the D.C. shooting — a 34-year-old man who opened fire near the White House before being critically wounded by returning fire from National Guard members — had previously traveled to one of the listed countries. While authorities have not linked the attack to terrorism, the administration’s statement pointed to what it called “patterns of transnational threat behavior.”
“This is not a ban,” a White House spokesperson told Axios. “It is a caution. Green card holders remain welcome, but those from flagged regions are encouraged to limit travel while federal agencies conduct deeper vetting of recent border crossings and visa histories.”
Still, immigration advocates say the timing and tone of the memo are alarming. “It’s collective punishment dressed as precaution,” said Farah Ahmed of the ACLU in a statement. “The fact that this comes right after a violent incident involving an American citizen tells you this isn’t about safety — it’s about politics.”
“Immigrant rights groups blast Trump’s new warning to green card holders as ‘a travel ban in disguise.’” @reuters
The news has triggered widespread confusion among permanent residents, many of whom fear being stranded abroad if they choose to travel. Social media posts show community members scrambling for legal advice and warning others not to leave the country. “My mother was supposed to visit family in Lagos next week,” one user wrote on X. “Now her lawyer says if she goes, she might not get back in.”
Legal experts say the administration’s language is deliberately vague. “They’re calling it a security ‘advisory,’ not a restriction,” explained immigration attorney David Leopold in an interview with The New York Times. “But for people who’ve seen this playbook before, it feels like the first step toward a new ban.”
Within hours of the memo leaking, protesters gathered outside the USCIS headquarters in Virginia, holding signs that read “We Are Not The Enemy” and “Green Card = American Dream.” Several lawmakers have already demanded clarification, including Senator Cory Booker, who tweeted that “no tragedy should ever be used as an excuse to target immigrants for political gain.”
Meanwhile, Trump himself addressed the controversy during an impromptu press conference at Mar-a-Lago. “We’re keeping America safe,” he said, according to Fox News. “I love immigrants who come here legally — but we’re not going to risk American lives. The D.C. attack shows what happens when we’re too soft.” He did not elaborate on how the shooter was connected to foreign nationals but added that “our borders and vetting systems will be the toughest they’ve ever been.”
“Trump says the new advisory ‘isn’t about exclusion, it’s about protection’ — critics say it’s fear politics.” @people
Inside Washington, reactions have split sharply along partisan lines. Republican lawmakers have largely backed the move, praising it as “a proactive measure to prevent future attacks.” Democrats, however, argue that the timing — just days before Trump’s next campaign rally — is anything but coincidental. “It’s another distraction tactic,” said Rep. Ilhan Omar in a statement to MSNBC. “He’s using fear to fuel headlines.”
Officials with the U.S. State Department said they are “coordinating closely” with DHS to assess the situation but stopped short of confirming whether additional immigration reviews are underway. Insiders say new screening measures could include temporary hold orders on re-entry applications and enhanced background checks for residents from the 19 countries named in the memo.
Immigration offices across several states have already reported a surge in appointment requests, with attorneys describing “mass panic” among their clients. “People are terrified,” said Chicago-based lawyer Rashid Khan in an interview with The Chicago Tribune. “They’re calling to ask if their green cards are still valid — that’s how scared they are.”
Meanwhile, the D.C. shooting investigation remains ongoing. The FBI confirmed that the suspect, who was critically injured after exchanging gunfire with National Guard troops, remains hospitalized but has yet to be questioned. No evidence has surfaced linking him to any organized group, though his social media accounts reportedly contained “anti-government rhetoric.”
For now, the warning remains active, and officials have given no indication of when it might be lifted. “We’re reviewing all relevant intelligence,” said the DHS official. “This is about prevention, not punishment.” But for tens of thousands of immigrants now caught in uncertainty, the message feels far from reassuring.
“I’ve lived here 20 years,” said one permanent resident outside a courthouse in Maryland. “I pay taxes, I served in the military, and now my government is warning me not to travel because of something I had nothing to do with. It’s terrifying.”