The State Department announced that it would be freezing visa processing for 75 countries in a new immigration crackdown.
The new crackdown was announced via a State Department memo that listed 75 targeted countries (Image: Getty)
The State Department announced that it’s pausing visa processing for 75 countries as the Trump administration cracks down on immigration.
A State Department memo reportedly directs consular officers to refuse visas under existing law while the department reassesses screening and vetting procedures.
Among the countries affected by the pause, which will begin on Jan. 21, are Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand and Yemen.
Fox News Digital reported that the pause will continue indefinitely under the department concludes the reassessment of its visa processing procedures.
It adds that those countries were specifically targeted because the State Department believes immigrants from them will begin to rely on aid programs like Medicaid and SNAP.
The pause will begin on January 21 (Image: Getty)
The memo comes after the Trump administration accused Somali immigrants of a fraud scandal centered in Minnesota, where an ICE crackdown led to the shooting death of 37-year-old mother of three Renee Good last week.
The allegations accuse the immigrants of abusing taxpayer-funded benefit programs.
Back in November 2025, a State Department cable reportedly sent to posts around the world instructed consular offices to enforce sweeping new screening rules under the provision of immigration law dealing with individuals accused of abusing welfare systems.
The guidance reportedly instructs consular officers to deny visas to any applicants deemed likely to rely on public benefits. They were tasked with weighing a wide range of factors, from health, age and English proficiency to finances and even the potential need for long-term medical care.
Any old or overweight applicants are more likely to be denied visas, as are those with any past use of government cash assistance or institutionalization.
In a statement, State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott told Fox News Digital, “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.”
“Immigration 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.”
A public charge is a person considered likely to use welfare.
The full list of countries is…
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Algeria
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bahamas
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belarus
- Belize
- Bhutan
- Bosnia
- Brazil
- Burma
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- Colombia
- Cote 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
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