The Trump administration is placing an indefinite pause on immigrant visa processing from 75 countries, further restricting the legal routes for entering the US.
The State Department on Wednesday stated that the administration aims to bring an end to the abuse of the system by those who would extract wealth from the American people by relying on welfare and public benefits.
President Donald Trump has continuously sought to limit both illegal and legal migration into the United States since returning to office, with prior actions already halting immigrant visa processing for nationals from Brazil, Iran, Russia, and Somalia.
The order is set to take effect on January 21, but a complete list of the 75 countries involved has not yet been made public.
Tommy Pigott, Principal Deputy spokesperson for the US State Department, explained, The State Department will use its long-standing authority to deem ineligible potential immigrants who would become a public charge on the United States and exploit the generosity of the American people.”
Led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the department will pause visa processing while reassessing its procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits,” Pigott added.
Recent updates indicate that the State Department has instructed consular officers to halt immigrant visa applications from the affected countries, although this suspension will not extend to non-immigrant, temporary tourist, or business visas.
In recent months, the department has tightened restrictions on migration from countries Trump has labeled as threats to national security, such as Russia, Iran, Afghanistan, and various African countries.
Following a notable incident involving an Afghan immigrant charged with shooting two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., the administration instituted bans or limitations on nationals from 19 countries. In December, this travel ban was further expanded to include five additional nations along with those traveling on Palestinian Authority-issued documents.
The suspension has also affected asylum cases, citizenship processing, and green card applications for immigrants from the initially impacted 19 countries.
