US to pause immigrant visa processing for 75 countries

WASHINGTON

The US is pausing immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries, the State Department said on Wednesday.

"The freeze will remain active until the U.S. can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people," the department said in a statement posted on US social media company X.

"The pause impacts dozens of countries – including Somalia, Haiti, Iran, and Eritrea – whose immigrants often become public charges on the United States upon arrival."

The State Department, however, did not provide the full list of affected countries.

Fox News Digital first reported the move, citing an internal State Department memo, which "directs consular officers to refuse visas under existing law while the department reassesses screening and vetting procedures."

The pause applies to immigrant visa processing for nationals from countries including Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia, Brazil, Egypt, Russia, Iran, Somalia, Nigeria, Sudan, Yemen, Syria, and Haiti, among others, according to the report.

It added that the pause could begin as early as Jan. 21.

The move follows President Donald Trump’s remarks in November, calling for a pause on immigration from “all Third World Countries” to allow the US system to “fully recover” after two National Guard members were shot and an Afghan national was named a suspect.