The U.S. Indefinitely Shuts Down Immigrant Visas For 75 Countries

There are several Caribbean and African countries on the list, including Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Haiti, and Nigeria.

The Trump administration has announced it would suspend immigrant visa processing for people from 75 countries, who the administration said are likely to require public assistance while living in the U.S.

The freeze will begin on Jan. 21 and targets applicants who State Department officials deem likely to become a “public charge,” or people they believe will rely on government assistance for basic needs.

“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 department said in a statement obtained by the Associated Press. “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.”

Trump Administration’s Crackdown on Immigration

According to The Guardian, the Trump administration has beefed up immigration enforcement at unprecedented levels. In addition to immigration and travel bans on nearly 40 countries, the State Department has reportedly revoked more than 100,000 visas since Trump took office for a second term. The Department of Homeland Security said more than 605,000 people have been deported, and an additional 2.5 million have reportedly self-deported.

The administration’s latest effort of pausing immigration visas comes amid heavy scrutiny geared toward Somali Americans in Minnesota over fraud allegations. Over the past year, 98 people in Minnesota have been charged with fraudulently obtaining federal funds to subsidize the cost of caring for low-income children. Of those charged, approximately 90 are of Somali descent, The Washington Times reports.

There are several Caribbean and African countries on the list, including Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Haiti, and Nigeria. Applicants seeking non-immigrant visas, temporary tourist or business visas, who make up the vast majority of visa seekers, will not be impacted by the halt. According to the AP, demand for tourist visas will increase in the coming months due to the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics being hosted in the United States.