In a significant move impacting global mobility and immigration, the United States has implemented a series of visa freezes targeting several countries.
This decision, citing various national interests including security concerns and economic protection, has sent ripples through international communities, leaving many individuals and families uncertain about their future plans.
These freezes will go into effect on January 21st, 2026.
Details
The pause, detailed in an internal memo first reported by Fox News Digital, directs consular officers overseas to halt approvals for permanent residency applications from the affected countries while the department reassesses screening procedures under the long-dormant “public charge” rule.
That rule allows officials to deny visas to individuals deemed likely to rely on government benefits, considering factors like age, health, income, education, and English proficiency.
A State Department spokesperson, Tommy Piggott, defended the decision, stating that it would use “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.”
The suspension, he added, would allow a review of procedures “to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits.”
The affected countries span Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. They include Afghanistan, Brazil, Cuba, Egypt, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Russia, Somalia, Thailand and Yemen, among others.
Many of these nations already face heightened scrutiny or partial restrictions under separate national security measures implemented earlier this month.
Tightening Immigration Policy
The decision builds on a broader hardening of immigration policy in President Trump’s second term.
Last month, Mr. Trump issued a proclamation expanding restrictions on entry for nationals of 39 countries, citing inadequate identity verification and high risks of terrorism or crime.
That measure, effective Jan. 1, fully or partially suspended visa issuance on national security grounds.
The suspension could have far-reaching effects, potentially delaying or derailing hundreds of thousands of family-sponsored green card applications and diversity lottery visas.
It may also complicate plans for international visitors to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which the United States is co-hosting, by freezing pathways that could lead to longer-term stays.
Administration officials have framed the measures as fulfilling campaign promises to prioritize American workers and taxpayers.
Recent fraud investigations involving federal benefit programs in communities with large Somali immigrant populations appear to have influenced the timing, according to sources familiar with the memo.
The pause does not affect non-immigrant visas for temporary visits, work or study, though separate vetting enhancements — including social media screening — have already lengthened processing times at many embassies.
This article was edited with AI and reviewed by human editors
