WASHINGTON: The Donald Trump’s administration announced on Wednesday that it will temporarily suspend processing immigrant visas for nationals from 75 countries, as part of an ongoing effort to tighten immigration policies.
A spokesperson for the State Department stated that the measure will take effect starting January 21.Countries affected include Somalia, Iran, Russia, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Yemen, Thailand, and Brazil. Notably, this suspension does not apply to tourist or visitor visas.
The directive, initially reported by Fox News, instructs U.S. embassies to deny visas in accordance with existing laws while the department reviews its procedures. “The State Department is halting immigrant visa processing from 75 nations where migrants are perceived to rely heavily on U.S. welfare programs,” the department said via a post on X (formerly Twitter).
The suspension will remain in place until the U.S. government can verify that incoming immigrants will not disproportionately benefit from American social welfare, ensuring that new arrivals do not place an undue economic burden on U.S. resources.
