At a Glance
- The State Department will pause immigrant visa processing for 75 countries starting January 21.
- Officials claim nationals from the listed countries “take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates.”
- The suspension applies only to those seeking to live permanently in the U.S.; temporary worker, student and tourist visas are unaffected.
Why it matters: The move could block tens of thousands of people from legally resettling in America while the administration rewrites entry rules.
The Trump administration is suspending immigrant visa processing for 75 countries, the State Department announced Wednesday, arguing the affected nationals place an unacceptable burden on public benefit programs.
Countries Facing Immediate Halt
Visa issuance will stop for citizens of:
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Algeria
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bahamas
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belarus
- Belize
- Bhutan
- Bosnia
- Brazil
- Burma
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- Colombia
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Cuba
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Dominica
- Egypt
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Fiji
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Ghana
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Haiti
- Iran
- Iraq
- Jamaica
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Liberia
- Libya
- Macedonia
- Moldova
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Nepal
- Nicaragua
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Republic of the Congo
- Russia
- Rwanda
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Syria
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Togo
- Tunisia
- Uganda
- Uruguay
- Uzbekistan
- Yemen
What the Suspension Does
Processing will freeze “while the State Department reassesses immigration procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits,” said Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott.
Key points:
- Covers only immigrant visas for people planning to live permanently in the United States.
- Does not affect short-term categories such as H-1B skilled-worker visas, student visas, tourist visas or World Cup-related travel documents.
- Takes effect on January 21 and “remain active until the U.S. can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people,” according to the department’s post on X.
Rationale and Welfare Rules
Pigott framed the pause as a safeguard against abuse:
> “The Trump administration is bringing an end to the abuse of America’s immigration system by those who would extract wealth from the American people.”
> “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.”
Most visa holders already face tight limits on public assistance. For instance, the majority of green-card recipients must wait five years before they can receive food stamps, non-emergency Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) benefits.
Escalating Immigration Crackdown
The suspension widens earlier efforts:
- In December, the administration halted immigration applications from nationals of 19 countries.
- On Tuesday, officials revoked temporary protected status for Somalis already inside the U.S.
The new policy was first reported by Fox News, which cited an internal State Department memo. A U.S. official confirmed the list of 75 countries to News Of Los Angeles.
Key Takeaways
- January 21 marks the start of a sweeping immigrant-visa freeze covering 75 nations.
- Temporary visas-H-1B, student, tourist-are explicitly exempt.
- The department cites “unacceptable” welfare use as justification, though most future green-card holders are already barred from benefits for five years.
