The Trump administration is suspending all visa processing for applicants from 75 countries, a State Department spokesperson said on Wednesday, as part of Washington's intensifying immigration crackdown.
The pause, which will impact applicants from countries including Somalia, Iran, Russia, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Yemen, Thailand, and Brazil, will begin on January 21, the spokesperson said. It does not affect visitor visas.
US embassies directed to refuse visas
The memo outlining the suspension, first reported by Fox News, directs US embassies to deny visas under existing law while the department reassesses its procedures.
"The State Department will pause immigrant visa processing from 75 countries whose migrants take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates," the department said in a post on X. "The freeze will remain active until the US can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people."
US President Donald Trump has pursued a sweeping immigration crackdown since returning to office in January. His administration has aggressively prioritized immigration enforcement, sending federal agents to major US cities and sparking violent confrontations with both migrants and US citizens.
The State Department has revoked more than 100,000 visas since Trump took office, it said on Monday. The administration has also adopted a stricter policy on granting visas, with tightened social media vetting and expanded screening.
In November, Trump had vowed to "permanently pause" migration from all "Third World Countries" following a shooting near the White House by an Afghan national that killed a National Guard member.