US to suspend immigrant visa processing for 75 nations

US President Donald Trump's administration is suspending processing for immigrant visas for applicants from 75 countries, a State Department spokesperson said on Wednesday (14 January), 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 21 January, the spokesperson said. It does not affect visitor visas.

The memo outlining the suspension, which was first reported by Fox News, directs US embassies to refuse 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."

Trump has pursued a sweeping immigration crackdown since returning to office in January. His administration has aggressively prioritised 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.

"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," State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott said in a statement.

"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."

According to the Fox News report, the full list of countries comprises of 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 and Yemen.