By Micah Jonah
January 15, 2026
The United States government has announced the suspension of immigrant visa processing for 75 countries, as part of President Donald Trump’s continuing hardline approach to immigration.
According to the U.S. Department of State, the freeze targets countries “whose migrants take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates.” The measure is intended to remain in place until the U.S. can ensure that new immigrants will not place a financial burden on the country.
The freeze will affect dozens of nations, including Somalia, Haiti, Iran, and Eritrea. Other sources reported that Brazil, Egypt, Thailand, Nigeria, Iraq, and Yemen are also included. The visa suspension will begin on January 21 and will not apply to non-immigrant applicants seeking temporary tourist or business visas.
Since returning to office in January 2025, President Trump has pursued an aggressive anti-immigration agenda, including significant reductions in refugee admissions, curbs on U.S. visa programs, and large-scale deportation operations. The Department of Homeland Security reported that more than 605,000 people have been deported over the past year, while 2.5 million others left the U.S. voluntarily.
The State Department also revealed that more than 100,000 visas have been revoked since Trump returned to the White House, setting a one-year record. Experts warn that the latest suspension could prevent approximately 315,000 legal immigrants from entering the U.S. over the next year.
“This action will ban nearly half of all legal immigrants to the United States,” said David Bier, director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute. Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, added that when combined with previous travel bans, immigrant visas for 90 countries are now either banned or suspended, with 70 percent of the affected nations located in Africa.
The Trump administration’s move signals a continuation of its strict immigration policies, which critics say represent the most aggressive anti-legal immigration agenda in U.S. history.
