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.
A department memo, first reported by Fox News, says visa processing will be frozen indefinitely for applicants from countries including Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand and Yemen among others.
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, like Brazil.
A US official confirmed the countries listed by Fox. The State Department did not immediately clarify if non-immigrant visas, such as for tourism and business, would be affected.
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 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 reassess immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits."
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.
