Ammon News - The US has halted the processing of all immigration applications linked to 19 countries already subject to a travel ban, according to an internal official memo seen by BBC partner CBS News.

Immigration agents have been told to "stop final adjudication on all cases", and pause naturalisation ceremonies for migrants on the cusp of gaining citizenship.

It comes amid reports that Donald Trump is considering expanding a June order restricting travel from 19 countries to 30.

It is the latest tightening of immigration rules after last week's shooting in Washington DC, which left one National Guard soldier dead and another in a critical condition.

On 4 June, the White House identified 19 countries - predominantly in Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean - which would face full or partial immigration restrictions.

The guidance on Tuesday was issued by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which last week also halted all asylum decisions, and said it would re-examine green card visas issued to migrants from the US from the travel ban nations.

BBC