The State Department on Wednesday said it is pausing immigrant visa processing for 75 countries, marking one of the most sweeping moves yet in President Donald Trump’s renewed immigration crackdown.
Visa processing will be frozen indefinitely for applicants from countries including Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand and Yemen, according to a memo seen by The National.
Citizens from some of the included countries, such as Afghanistan, Iran, Russia and Somalia, already have little chance of getting a visa, but the move will be a shock for people coming from other nations on the list, such as Brazil.
"The freeze will remain active until the US can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people," the State Department said in a post on X.
The visas that will be frozen only affect people looking to emigrate to the US, and do not affect those wanting to visit. The US, along with Canada and Mexico, will host the World Cup this year, and the 2028 Summer Olympics will be held in California.
The White House emphasised that the move was aimed at "putting America first".
"The President is rightfully taking action to ensure that aliens admitted to the United States are not abusing public assistance programmes intended to serve American citizens," a White House representative said.
According to the Fox report, consular officers have been directed to refuse visa applications until screening and vetting procedures are reassessed. The pause goes into effect on January 21, it said. Older or overweight applicants could be denied, along with those who had any past use of government cash assistance or institutionalisation.
“The State Department will use its long-standing authority to deem ineligible potential immigrants who would become a public charge on the US and exploit the generosity of the American people,” State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said on Wednesday.
"Immigrant visa processing from these 75 countries will be paused while the State Department reassesses immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits."
A US official confirmed the countries, first reported by Fox News.
The move is the latest in visa freezes and restrictions that Mr Trump began to initiate last year after returning to office.
Last month, the administration halted or restricted entry into the US of citizens of 19 countries, including Afghanistan, Syria and Venezuela, deemed to be high risk due to lack of vetting or overstaying visas.
Also in December, the State Department said those coming into the US on visa exemptions would be subject to a five-year review of their social media activity.
This week, the State Department announced it had revoked more than 100,000 visas since Mr Trump returned to office.
